COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Inventory of radioactive waste and spent fuel present in the Community's territory and the future prospects Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT on progress of implementation of Council Directive 2011/70/EURATOM and an inventory of radioactive waste and spent fuel present in the Community's territory and the future prospects
Date: 2019-12-17
Institutions: Directorate-General for Energy, European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, application of EU law, nuclear fuel, nuclear policy, nuclear safety, radioactive pollution, radioactive waste, waste management

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 17.12.2019  SWD(2019) 435 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Inventory of radioactive waste and spent fuel present in the Community's territory and the future prospects Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT on progress of implementation of Council Directive 2011/70/EURATOM and an inventory of radioactive waste and spent fuel present in the Community's territory and the future prospects  {COM(2019) 632 final} - {SWD(2019) 436 final}  
 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

List of abbreviations ................................................................................................................... 2 

1. 

Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 3 

2.  Sources of information ....................................................................................................... 4 

3.  Sources of spent fuel and radioactive waste ....................................................................... 6 

4.  Classification of spent fuel and radioactive waste ............................................................. 7 

5.  Current radioactive waste and spent fuel inventory in the EU ........................................... 9 

6.  Projections of radioactive waste and spent fuel ............................................................... 26 

Annex I: 

Spent fuel and radioactive waste inventory data .................................................. 29 

Annex II:  Summary of radioactive waste classifications in Member States ........................ 48 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
List of abbreviations 

DSRS   

Disused sealed radioactive sources 

EU 

HLW    

IAEA   

ILW 

LLW 

European Union 

High Level Waste 

International Atomic Energy Agency 

Intermediate Level Waste 

Low Level Waste 

NORM  

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material 

OECD-NEA  Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and 

Development 

RAW   

Radioactive waste 

SF 

tHM  

Spent fuel 

Tons of heavy metal 

VLLW  

Very Low Level Waste 

VSLW  

Very Short Lived waste 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. 

Introduction 

According  to  Article  14(2)(b)  of  the  Council  Directive  2011/70/EURATOM1  establishing  a 
Community framework for the responsible and safe management of spent fuel and radioactive 
waste (the “Directive”), the European Commission (the "Commission") is required to submit, 
on  the  basis  of  the  Member  States’  reports  on  the  implementation  of  the  Directive,  to  the 
European Parliament and the Council an inventory of radioactive waste and spent fuel present 
in the Community's territory and the future prospects. 

The goal of this Staff Working Document (SWD) is to present an overview of spent fuel and 
radioactive  waste  inventory  in  the  EU  and  the  future  prospects.  This  document  also 
provides background information to the inventory data presented in the Second Report from 
the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on progress  of implementation 
of  Council  Directive  2011/70/EURATOM  and  an  inventory  of  radioactive  waste  and  spent 
fuel present in the Community's territory and future prospects (COM(2019) 632). 

This is the second SWD providing an updated overview of spent fuel and radioactive waste 
inventory  in  the  EU  and  the  future  prospects.  Its  inventory  reference  date  is  end  of  2016, 
although more than half of the Member States reported inventory as of end of 2017 or 2018 
(more information on the inventory dates is provided in Section 2 – sources of information). 
This  document  is  based  on  the  information  provided  in  the  second  national  reports  of  EU 
Member  States  on  the  implementation  of  the  Directive  and  it  builds  on  the  previous  SWD 
document2 with 2013 inventory data. This document provides an overview of: 

-  The total spent fuel and radioactive waste inventory on the EU territory as of 2016; 

-  The total inventory of spent fuel and radioactive waste owned by EU Member States 

(regardless of location); 

-  Forecast of national and EU inventory in 2030 based on available information reported 

by Member States; 

-  Updated trends of radioactive waste and spent fuel in the EU; 

-  National radioactive waste classification systems. 

Previously the European Commission published a series of "Situation Reports"3 which were 
developed in order to analyse, and inform stakeholders about, the situation of spent fuel and 
radioactive waste management in the EU. Since the Directive entered into the force, situation 
reports have been discontinued and replaced by the Commission report on implementation of 
the Directive and accompanying two SWDs. Nevertheless, data from the 6th Situation Report4 

1

2  

3  

4  

Council Directive 2011/70/EURATOM of 19 July 2011 establishing a  Community framework for the 
responsible and safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste; OJ L 199/48, 2.8.2011. 
Commission SWD, Inventory of radioactive waste and spent fuel present in the Community's territory 
and the future prospects; SWD(2017) 161 final, 15.5.2017. 
The last one of the series was "Commission staff working paper, Seventh situation report, radioactive 
waste and spent fuel management in the European Union; SEC(2011) 1007 final, 22.8.2011". 
Report  from  the  Commission  to  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council,  Sixth  situation  report  on 
radioactive waste and spent fuel management in the European Union; COM(2008) 542 final, 8.9. 2008 
and accompanying document SEC(2008) 2416 final/2, 16.7.2010. 

3 

 
                                                 
  
and the 7th Situation Report5 have been used in this document as well as data from the first 
national  reporting (2013) for comparison  and identification of trends in  the evolution  of the 
EU inventory. 

Updated information about the Member States' installations generating radioactive waste and 
spent  fuel,  national  policies,  programmes,  concepts,  plans  and  financing  mechanisms  is 
summarised in the SWD on progress of implementation of the Directive6.  

2. 

Sources of information 

The EU spent fuel and radioactive waste inventory data presented in this document is based 
on  the  national  programmes  for  the  management  of  spent  fuel  and  radioactive  waste 
submitted  to  the  Commission  since  September  20167  and  the  second  national  reports 
submitted by all Member States by March 2019.  

Although Article 14(1)  of the Directive indicates that Member States can take advantage of 
the review and reporting under the Joint Convention8, less than half of the Member States did. 
Those  Member  States  used  inventory  data  reported  in  the  last  Joint  Convention  reporting 
cycle  (using  2016  as  a  reference  date  for  their  inventories  for  the  6th  Joint  Convention 
meeting in May 2018). The remaining Member States have chosen to report newer inventory 
data. To summarize, the inventory situation was reported as of year-end 2016 by 12 Member 
States,  as  of  year-end  2017  by  12  Member  States  and  as  of  year-end  2018  by  4  Member 
States.  

Looking  at  the  size  of  the  programmes  it  is  clear  that  mainly  Member  States  with  small 
inventories reported newer data, while for larger inventories it takes more time to collect and 
process inventory data. If we look at the radioactive waste volumes distribution by reporting 
year – inventory with the reference date as of 2016 makes up 87.4% of the overall volume, 
and inventories with  the reference dates of 2017 and 2018 make up 12.6% and 0.1% of the 
overall radioactive waste volume in the EU, respectively. 

As the dominating volume of radioactive waste reported with 2016 as the reference date - we 
have  chosen  to  use  2016  further  in  this  document  as  the  reference  date  for  the  overall  EU 
radioactive waste and spent fuel inventory in order to simplify data presentation. 

For the trend analysis, additional documents containing historical inventory data have been 
used.  Most  of  the  data  was  based  on  data  reported  to  the  Commission  by  the  Member 
States in 2010 and data from the first national reporting under the Directive in the 2015-
2016 period. 

In the first Commission SWD some missing and inconsistent data from the above-mentioned 
sources  were  reviewed  and  updated.  There  were  no  additional  updates  to  the  historical 

5  

6  

7  
8  

Commission  staff  working  paper,  Seventh  situation  report,  radioactive  waste  and  spent  fuel 
management in the European Union; SEC(2011) 1007 final, 22.8.2011. 
Commission  Staff  Working  Document,  Progress  of 
2011/70/EURATOM; SWD(2019) 436. 
Austria, Croatia, Estonia France, Ireland and Slovenia. 
The IAEA Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive 
Waste Management, adopted on 5 September 1997, the “Joint Convention”. 

implementation  of  Council  Directive 

4 

 
                                                 
inventory  data  since  the  previous  Commission  report  SWD(2017)  161  final.  The  national 
inventory summaries presented in this document have been verified by the respective Member 
States in 2019. 

It  needs  to  be  noted  that  in  preparation  of  this  report,  most  of  the  sources  of  uncertainty 
identified in the document SWD(2017) 161 final, remained valid, i.e.: 

  Member  States  are  using  different  radioactive  waste  classification  schemes 
(summary  is  given  in  Annex  II  of  this  document).  For  EU  inventory  aggregation 
purposes  conversion  to  a  common  reporting  basis  is  necessary  (IAEA  GSG-1 
classification9;  see  Section  4  below).  However,  conversion  from  one  classification 
scheme  to  another  often  introduces  uncertainties,  as  the  radioactive  waste  classes  in 
different  national  classification  schemes  sometimes  cannot  be  directly  matched.  In 
such  situations,  a  conversion  is  carried  out  on  a  “best  approximation”  basis.  In  the 
second national reports most Member States reported their radioactive waste inventory 
using  the  IAEA  GSG-1  classification  scheme  or  provided  a  conversion  matrix 
allowing  conversion  of  waste  inventory  from  their  national  classification  scheme  to 
IAEA GSG-1.   

  Member  States  use  different  units  (volume,  mass,  etc.)  for  unconditioned  waste. 
Conversion  from  mass  to  volume  without  detailed  knowledge  of  radioactive  waste 
treatment/conditioning methods used can result in significant uncertainty10.  
Reporting  of  disused  sealed  radioactive  sources  varies  from  country  to  country. 
integrate  disused  sealed 
Countries  with 
radioactive sources into other large radioactive waste streams and do not report them 
separately.  Countries  where  the  disused  sealed  radioactive  sources  make  significant 
part of the national inventory report them separately from the other radioactive waste. 
In  such  cases  disused  sealed  radioactive  sources  are  reported  only  as  number  of 
sources. 

large  nuclear  programmes  generally 

 

Member States report differently volumes of unconditioned radioactive waste – some 
report  actual  volumes  in  storage,  while  others  report  estimated  volumes  after 
conditioning to be placed in disposal.  

For inventory aggregation purposes, the estimated volumes of radioactive waste to be 
placed in disposal are preferred since this represents the final step in management of 
radioactive  waste.  Use  of  actual  radioactive  waste  volumes  in  storage  can  lead  to 
significant  uncertainties, especially when estimating the need  for disposal capacities.  
Usually,  the  most  significant  volume  changes  (reduction)  occur  as  a  result  of  liquid 
radioactive waste and sludge treatment and conditioning for disposal. The same is true 
for combustible and compactible radioactive waste.  

In  the  second  national  reports,  most  of  the  Member  States  provided  unconditioned 
waste  estimated  volumes  for  disposal.  This  allows  to  reduce  uncertainties  and  to 
improve consistency and comparability of the data.  

9  
10  

Classification of Radioactive Waste. IAEA Safety Standards No. GSG-1, 2009, Vienna. 
The simple approach is to use 1 t ≡ 1 m3 equivalence. 

5 

 
                                                 
  Knowledge  of  radioactive  contamination  of  facilities  subject  to  decommissioning 
plays  important  role  in  predicting  amounts  of  decommissioning  waste.  The  detailed 
characterization  of  a  facility  subject  to  decommissioning  increases  the  precision  in 
forecasting the amount of radioactive waste, however, only when decommissioning is 
well progressed will the actual categories and amounts of waste be fully known. This 
is also valid for the limited knowledge of characteristics of some legacy waste. 

Only  about  one 
decommissioning waste separately. 

in 

five  national  reports 

indicated  estimated  amounts  of 

  Future radioactive waste inventories highly depend on various decisions introducing 
additional uncertainties in the projection of future radioactive waste inventories, e.g.:  

o  Technological  decisions,  such  as  the  selection  of  treatment  and  conditioning 
options,  choice  between  immediate  or  deferred  decommissioning,  decision  to 
retrieve  disposed  radioactive  waste  might  have  significant  impact  on  the 
projection of future radioactive waste inventories (e.g. volumes, classes); 

o  Political decisions and changes in the legal/regulatory framework, such as 

development of new nuclear facilities, changes to the fuel cycle. 

During  the  assessment  of  the  evolution  of  Member  States’  inventories  with  time,  the 
following additional sources of uncertainties remained: 

  Differences  in  the  reference  dates  of  Member  States  inventories  (please  see 

above).  

  Change  in  radioactive  waste  status  –  during  the  reporting  period  there  were  no 
retrievals  reported  of  previously  disposed  of  radioactive  waste.  However,  some 
Member States plan in the future to recover previously disposed of radioactive waste, 
process  and  re-dispose  of  it  in  existing  and/or  newly  constructed  disposal  facilities. 
Re-disposal  activities  might  affect  overall  radioactive  waste  inventory  as  a  result  of 
subsequent retreatment and final disposal. There are already a few Member States that 
took  decisions  on  the  remediation  of  disposal  sites,  thus  radioactive  waste  is 
considered as stored whilst awaiting retrieval. 

3. 

Sources of spent fuel and radioactive waste 

Radioactive waste is generated in all Member States of the EU, even though the quantities are 
very small in non-nuclear power Member States compared to those Member States operating 
nuclear  power  plants.  Radioactive  waste  inventory  in  small  countries  usually  consist  of 
disused  sealed  radioactive  sources  or  small  amounts  of  orphan/legacy  radioactive  materials. 
Small volumes of radioactive waste are generated as a result of non-power uses of radioactive 
materials, such as the manufacturing of radioactive materials for use in medical and industrial 
applications,  or  research  facilities  such  as  laboratories,  and  research  reactors.  Most  of  the 
Member States with research reactors have an agreement in place to send back spent fuel to 
the suppliers.   

6 

 
Most of the radioactive  waste comes  from  nuclear power plants  and associated nuclear fuel 
cycle activities (i.e. from conversion of uranium through to fuel fabrication prior to electricity 
generation,  and  subsequent  reprocessing  of  spent  fuel).  In  the  second  national  reports,  15 
Member States declared spent fuel.  Some of those Member States have chosen to  reprocess 
spent fuel; some Member States have chosen the once-through fuel cycle option when spent 
fuel  will  be  directly  disposed  of  in  deep  geological  disposal.  A  few  Member  States  applied 
both approaches – part of their spent fuel is reprocessed and the remaining spent fuel will be 
directly  disposed.  Currently,  spent  fuel  is  stored  in  specialised  storage  facilities  until  final 
disposal  facilities  will  be  available.  Most  of  the  radioactive  waste,  in  terms  of  activity,  is 
generated  during  operation  of  nuclear  facilities.  However,  in  terms  of  volume,  most  of  the 
waste comes from decommissioning of nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities at the 
end of their useful lifetime (mainly low-level waste).  

In some Member States waste from mining and milling of uranium is declared as radioactive 
waste. Usually, those activities generate significant  amounts of waste. Some Member States 
report  such  material  as  part  of  radioactive  waste  inventory,  whereas  others  do  not.  This 
approach is in line with the Directive.  

4. 

Classification of spent fuel and radioactive waste 

In line with Article 12(1)(c) of the Directive, Member States need to develop, as part of their 
national  programmes,  and  notify  to  the  Commission  spent  fuel  and  radioactive  waste 
inventories in accordance with an appropriate classification. Correspondingly, Member States 
have  notified  their  updated  national  programmes  and  second  national  reports  on  their  spent 
fuel  and  radioactive  waste  inventories  based  on  radioactive  waste  classifications  that  may 
differ  from  one  Member  State  to  another.  A  summary  of  the  national  classifications  is 
presented in Annex II. 

As  in  the  previous  report,  in  order  to  make  spent  fuel  and  radioactive  waste  inventories 
comparable among different Member States and in order to aggregate the overall inventory on 
the  territory  of  the  EU,  Member  States’  inventories  were  converted  into  a  common 
classification  scheme.  The  IAEA  GSG-1  classification  system  has  been  chosen  for  that 
purpose in order to facilitate Member States’ reporting to various international organisations 
(e.g. IAEA) and instruments (e.g. Joint Convention). 

The categories of radioactive waste used for data aggregation are as follows: 

  Very Low Level Waste (VLLW): waste that does not need a high level of containment 
and isolation and, therefore, is suitable for disposal in near-surface, landfill-type facilities 
with limited regulatory control. 

  Low Level Waste (LLW): waste that is above clearance levels, but with limited amounts 
of  long-lived  radionuclides.  Such  waste  requires  robust  isolation  and  containment  for 
periods  of  up  to  a  few  hundred  years  and  is  suitable  for  disposal  in  engineered  near-
surface  facilities.  This  class  covers  a  very  broad  range  of  waste.  LLW  may  include 

7 

 
short-lived  radionuclides  at  higher  levels  of  activity  concentration,  and  also  long-lived 
radionuclides, but only at relatively low levels of activity concentration. 

  Intermediate  Level  Waste  (ILW):  waste  that,  because  of  its  content,  particularly  of 
long-lived radionuclides, requires a greater degree of containment and isolation than that 
provided  by  near  surface  disposal.  However,  ILW  needs  no  provision,  or  only  limited 
provision,  for  heat  dissipation  during  its  storage  and  disposal.  ILW  may  contain 
long-lived radionuclides, in particular, alpha emitting radionuclides that will not decay to 
a level of activity concentration acceptable for near surface disposal during the time for 
which  institutional  controls  can  be  relied  upon.  Therefore,  waste  in  this  class  requires 
disposal at greater depths, of the order of tens of metres to a few hundred metres. 

  High  Level  Waste  (HLW):  waste  with  levels  of  activity  concentration  high  enough  to 
generate  significant  quantities  of  heat  by  the  radioactive  decay  process  or  waste  with 
large  amounts  of  long-lived  radionuclides  that  need  to  be  considered  in  the  design  of  a 
disposal  facility  for  such  waste.  Disposal  in  deep,  stable  geological  formations,  usually 
several hundred metres or more, below the surface is the generally recognized option for 
disposal of HLW. 

Spent  fuel  (SF)  is  also  considered  in  its  entirety,  whether  it  might  be  intended  for 
reprocessing  or  awaiting  decision  for  future  long-term  management  (reprocessing  or 
disposal). 

In addition to the above-mentioned waste classes, IAEA GSG-1 classification system defines: 

  Exempt  waste  with  concentrations  of  radionuclides  small  enough  not  to  require 
provisions  for  radiation  protection.  Such  material  can  be  cleared  from  regulatory 
control  and  does  not  require  any  further  consideration  from  a  regulatory  control 
perspective. 

  Very short-lived waste  containing  only  very short half-life radionuclides, thus  such 
waste  can  be  stored  until  the  activity  has  fallen  beneath  the  levels  of  clearance, 
allowing for the cleared waste to be managed as conventional waste.  

The  latter  two  waste  classes  do  not  require  future  long-term  management  or  disposal  as 
radioactive waste due to their short-lifetime and/or levels allowing the exemption or clearance 
from  regulatory  control.  Accordingly,  exempt  waste  and  very  short-lived  waste  are  in  most 
cases not reported by Member States. Thus, these waste classes have not been used for data 
aggregation in the present document. 

Several Member States combine VLLW and LLW, or do not have a separate VLLW class. In 
the latter case, such material could be subject to clearance in accordance with the respective 
national  legislation.  Reflecting  the  disposal  routes,  several  Member  States  also  use  a 
combined  waste  class  “low  and  intermediate  level  waste”  (LILW).  Where  other  than  the 
IAEA  GSG-1  classification  system  is  used  for  reporting  by  Member  States,  a  conversion 
provided  by  the  Member  States  is  applied  in  this  Report  in  order  to  achieve  the  conversion 
from the national to the IAEA classification systems. 

8 

 
5. 

Current radioactive waste and spent fuel inventory in the EU 

This section is dedicated to the presentation and analysis of the radioactive waste and spent 
fuel inventory present in the Union’s territory and the future prospects as required by Article 
14(2)(b)  of  the  Directive.  The  information  used  to  compile  this  section  was  primarily 
collected  from  the  second  national  reports  and  national  programmes.  The  details  on  the 
national  inventories  are  given  in  Annex  I  of  this  document.  The  first  Commission  report 
contained  information  on  the  radioactive  waste  disposed  of  at  sea  (Table  I.8  of  the 
SWD(2017)  161  final11).  As  these  disposal  practices  were  prohibited  by  the  London 
Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes12 and the total ban 
on radioactive waste disposal at sea adopted in 1993, and no new information emerged since 
the publication of the first Commission report, the information on radioactive waste disposed 
of at sea is excluded from this document. 

The section is composed of two parts – the first part relates to the radioactive waste inventory 
and the second part is dedicated to the spent fuel inventory.  

Overall, inventory data reported in the second national reports is generally consistent with the 
data  provided  in  national  programmes  and  the  first  national  reports.  In  most  of  the  cases, 
national  reports  provided  sufficient  information  to  explain  non-typical  changes  in  the 
inventories  (e.g.  successful  volume  reduction  programmes  resulting  in  reduction  of  waste 
amounts  without  presence  of  disposal  activities).  However,  the  number  of  sources  of 
uncertainties  previously  listed  in  Section  2  still  remain  an  obstacle  for  most  complete  and 
comprehensive reporting of national and EU inventory.  

The  future  prospects  of  the  radioactive  waste  and  spent  fuel  inventory  present  in  the 
Community's territory are presented in the Section 6.  

EU radioactive waste inventory 

The estimated total inventory of radioactive waste on EU territory at the end of 2016 is 3 466 
000 m3. Of this waste, 71.6% is already disposed of (2 483 000 m3) and 28% (983 000 m3) is 
in storage and will have to be managed in the future. Compared to the 2013 radioactive waste 
inventory, this is a 4.6% increase of total radioactive waste volumes. 

Table 1 summarizes the overall amounts of radioactive waste in the EU with comparison to 
previously reported data (i.e. inventory status as of end 2013).  

Table 1. Volumes of radioactive waste in the EU, end 2016 

Waste  

Category 

EU RAW Amounts (m3, rounded to thousands) 
Disposed 

Total 

Stored 

11  

12  

There is a typo in the Table I.8 Radioactive waste disposed of at sea [the Belgian value should  read 2 
120 000 (GBq)] 
The Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter 1972,  
the "London Convention", entered into force on 30 August 1975. 

9 

 
                                                 
Year 

2013 

2016 

2013 

2016 

2013 

2016 

VLLW 

237 000 

234 000 

279 000 

369 000 

516 000 

603 000 

LLW 

ILW 

HLW 
Total (m3) 

428 000 

417 000  2 025 000  2 102 000  2 453 000  2 519 000 

326 000 

326 000 

12 000 

12 000 

338 000 

338 000 

6 000 

6 000 

0 

0 

6 000 

6 000 

997 000 

983 000  2 316 000  2 483 000  3 313 000  3 466 000 

2 500 000

2 000 000

1 500 000

1 000 000

 500 000

  0

3

m

,
e
m
u
l
o
V

HLW
ILW
LLW
VLLW

6 000 

 326 000 

 428 000 

237 000 

 12 000 

 12 000 

2 025 000 

2 102 000 

279 000 

369 000 

6 000 

 326 000 

 417 000 

234 000 

Stored 2013

Stored 2016

Disposed 2013

Disposed 2016

Figure 1. Distribution of the RAW in the EU between stored and disposed of by waste class 
at the end of 2013 and 2016  

Figure 1 and Figure 2 provide information on the distribution of radioactive waste in the EU 
by waste class and by management status. As can be seen from these figures, distribution of 
radioactive  waste  by  class  has  not  changed  significantly  compared  to  2013.  As  in  previous 
reporting,  LLW  still  remains  as  the  dominating  waste  class  making  up  73%  of  the  overall 
waste  amount,  while  VLLW  and  ILW  are  estimated  to  have  a  17%  and  10%  share 
respectively (see Figure 3). HLW makes up by far the smallest fraction of  the overall waste 
volume, accounting for less than 0.2% (all HLW is kept in storage).  

Figure 2. Distribution of the total RAW in the EU between stored and disposed at the end of 
2013 and 2016 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 3. Distribution of the total RAW in the EU by waste category at the end of 2013 and 
2016 

Even though LLW dominates the radioactive waste inventory, two specific points should be 
taken into consideration: 

- Some Member States do not have a separate VLLW class as defined in IAEA GSG-1 waste 
classification scheme. In such cases, all the VLLW is reported as part of LLW waste class. 

-  Some  Member  States  do  not  register  (partially  or  completely)  VLLW  amounts  in  their 
national inventory. 

Both  above-mentioned  issues  lead  to  the  situation  in  which  VLLW  amounts  are 
underestimated and LLW overestimated.  

As  indicated  above,  the  total  quantity  of  the  radioactive  waste  disposed  of  as  of  end  2016 
equals to 2 483 000 m3. It consist mainly of LLW (85%). However, due to the non-inclusion 
of VLLW disposals to the national inventories of some Member States the actual fraction of 
disposed  LLW  volumes  could  be  significantly  lower.  At  the  end  of  2016,  61%  of  the  total 
VLLW volume is reported as disposed of and the amount of VLLW disposed of has steadily 
increased. At the same time, 83% of LLW is reported as disposed. A few Member States have 
reported small amounts of ILW disposed of (0.5% of the total disposed waste). In most of the 
cases, ILW was disposed of as a result of past practice. Due to safety concerns, some Member 
States are planning to retrieve ILW and re-dispose it in new disposal facilities.  

The total reported volume of stored radioactive waste in 2016 is 983 000 m3. LLW makes 
almost half of this amount (42%), while VLLW and ILW make 24% and 33% respectively. 
The  HLW  fraction  in  the  overall  radioactive  waste  in  storage  is  0.6%  and  it  remains 
unchanged  since  the  previous  reporting.  Distribution  of  stored  RAW  by  class  for  2016  is 
shown  in  Figure 4  together  with  2013  values  for  comparison.  As  in  the  previous  cases,  the 
change between two periods is relatively small. 

11 

VLLW15.6%LLW74.0%ILW10.2%HLW0.2%2013VLLW17.4%LLW72.7%ILW9,7%HLW0.2%2016 
2013 

HLW, 
0.6% 

2016 

HLW, 
0.6% 

ILW, 
32.7% 

VLLW, 
23.8% 

ILW, 
33.1% 

VLLW, 
23.8% 

LLW, 
42.9% 

LLW, 
42.4% 

Figure 4. Distribution of stored radioactive waste in the EU by class,  
end of 2013 (997 000 m3) and 2016 (983 000 m3) 

There are significant differences in the amounts of stored radioactive waste between Member 
States with and without nuclear power programmes. Figure 5 presents this at aggregated level 
for all RAW classes. In aggregate, the 16 Member States with nuclear power programme have 
125  times  bigger  amounts  of  RAW  than  the  12  Member  States  without  nuclear  power 
programmes.  This  difference  varies  between  RAW  classes  and  e.g.  for  HLW  and  ILW  it  is 
almost 200 and 240 times, respectively. It can be concluded that Member States with nuclear 
power programmes  are contributing the most to  the overall EU radioactive waste in  storage 
(see Figure 5).  

Without nuclear power programme

VLLW

LLW

ILW

HLW

3
1
0
2

6
1
0
2

With nuclear power programme

Without nuclear power programme

With nuclear power programme

  0

 200 000

 400 000

 600 000

 800 000

1 000 000

Volume, m3 

Figure 5. Volumes of stored radioactive waste by class in Member States with and without 
nuclear power programme, end of 2013 and 2016 

Radioactive waste inventory - trends in the EU 

The evolution of the total amount of radioactive waste (Table 2), radioactive waste in storage 
(Table  3)  and  radioactive  waste  which  has  been  disposed  of  (Table  4)  is  based  on  the  data 

12 

 
       
 
 
 
 
 
from the various Commission reports published in 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013 and on the current 
data from the second national reports (2016).  

Table 2. Evolution of total radioactive waste inventory since the end of 2004 

Waste 
Category 

VLLW 

LLW 

ILW 

HLW 

Total 

2004 

2007 

Total amount (m3) 
2010 

2013 

2016 

210 000 

280 000 

414 000 

516 000 

603 000 

2 228 000 

2 435 000 

2 356 000 

2 453 000 

2 519 000 

206 000 

288 000 

321 000 

338 000 

338 000 

5 000 

4000 

5 000 

6 000 

6 000 

2 649 000 

3 007 000 

3 096 000 

3 313 000 

3 466 000 

Figure 6 presents radioactive waste inventory evolution for the period 2004-2016. There are 
no  significant  changes  since  the  first  Commission  report.  VLLW  volume,  as  well  as  the 
percentage of disposed of waste steadily increases year by  year. LLW remains the dominant 
waste class in terms of total volume and disposal rate. 

3

m

,
e
m
u
l
o
V

2 500 000

2 000 000

1 500 000

1 000 000

 500 000

  0

82% 

80% 

85% 

83% 

83% 

Disposed

Stored

16% 

0% 

38% 

0% 

48% 

0% 

54% 

4% 

61% 

4% 

W
L
L
V

W
L
L

W
L
I

W
L
H

W
L
L
V

W
L
L

W
L
I

W
L
H

W
L
L
V

W
L
L

W
L
I

W
L
H

W
L
L
V

W
L
L

W
L
I

W
L
H

W
L
L
V

W
L
L

W
L
I

 2004             |          2007            |         2010           |         2013            |        2016 

0% 

W
L
H

Figure 6. Evolution of total radioactive waste volumes since the end of 2004  
(with the percentage of waste disposed of indicated) 

Normalized  RAW  amounts  from  tables  are  also  presented  in  figures  to  allow  easier  trend 
observation (see Figure 7, Figure 8 and Figure 9). In all RAW categories a steady increase of 
volume over time is noticeable. There is one slight decrease of total RAW, coming from the 
stored part, between reporting in 2004 and 2007. This decrease can be attributed to different 
RAW conditioning activities resulting in reduction of RAW volumes. Member States applied 
various techniques such as compaction of the solid waste or solidification treatment of liquid 
waste. The second decrease is noticeable for HLW between 2007 and 2010 after a previous 
increase. 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  overall  evolution  of  radioactive  waste  generated  in  the  EU  (normalized  sum  of 
radioactive waste both stored and disposed) until the end of 2016 is shown in Figure 7. The 
amount of the VLLW is increasing at the highest rate, ILW rises almost at half speed while 
the other two classes have the smallest rate of increase.  

3,00

2,25

1,50

e
m
u
l
o
v
d
e
z
i
l
a
m
r
o
N

0,75

2004

VLLW

LLW

ILW

HLW

2007

2010

2013

2016

Figure 7. Normalized13 evolution of RAW volumes in the EU (both stored and disposed) 

Evolution  of  the  stored  radioactive  waste  volumes  (per  waste  category)  is  presented  in 
Table 3.  

Table 3. Evolution of stored radioactive waste in the 2004-2016 period 

Waste 
Category 

VLLW 

LLW 

ILW 

HLW 

Total 

2004 

2007 

Stored amount (m3) 
2010 

2013 

2016 

176 000 

411 000 

206 000 

6 000 

175 000 

495 000 

288 000 

4 000 

217 000 

365 000 

321 000 

5 000 

237 000 

428 000 

326 000 

6 000 

234 000 

417 000 

326 000 

6 000 

799 000 

962 000 

908 000 

997 000 

983 000 

There  are  currently  no  operational  deep  geological  disposal  facilities  for  ILW  and  HLW. 
Consequently,  the  amounts  of  stored  ILW  and  HLW  are  steadily  increasing  over  time.  The 
amounts of VLLW and LLW in storage are affected by differences in generation and disposal 
rates. During different periods, their respective amounts in storage may therefore increase or 
decrease. The volume of stored VLLW shows a steady increase of about 40 % over the period 
2004 – 2016. This  shows that the disposal  rate of VLLW needs to  continue further to  keep 
pace with its generation. Figure 8 presents graphically normalised stored RAW categories for 
all reporting periods. 

13  

The chart shows relative change of radioactive waste volumes over time from 2004. 

14 

 
 
 
 
                                                 
 
 
VLLW
LLW
ILW
HLW

1,75

1,50

1,25

1,00

0,75

2004

2007

2010

2013

2016

e
m
u
l
o
v
d
e
z
i
l
a
m
r
o
N

Figure 8. Normalised14 evolution of stored RAW amounts in EU since the end of 2004 

Table  4  shows  the  evolution  of  radioactive  waste  disposal  over  time.  The  increase  in 
disposed  of  LLW  is  levelling  over  the  period  since  2004.  Contrary  to  this,  the  disposal  of 
VLLW shows a steady increase. 

14  

The  chart  shows  relative  change  of  radioactive  waste  volumes  over  time  in  comparison  to  the  2004 
volumes. 

15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
 
 
Table 4. Evolution of radioactive waste disposals in the 2004-2016 period 

Waste 
Category 

VLLW 

LLW 

ILW 

HLW 

Total 

2004 

Disposed amount (m3) 
2010 

2007 

2013 

2016 

34 000 

105 000 

197 000 

279 000 

369 000 

1 817 000 

1 940 000 

1 991 000 

2 025 000 

2 102 000 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

12 000 

12 000 

0 

0 

1 851 000 

2 045 000 

2 188 000 

2 316 000 

2 483 000 

From Table 4, it can be also seen that some Member States are disposing of ILW. However, 
this  is  not  yet  widespread  practice.  These  disposals,  in  accordance  with  the  IAEA 
classification,  consist  mainly  of  highly  active  disused  radioactive  sealed  sources  containing 
short-lived radionuclides.  Over 96% of  ILW is still kept  in  storage pending proper disposal 
facilities.  Figure  9  presents  graphically  normalised  stored  RAW  categories  for  all  reporting 
periods. 

12

10

8

6

4

2

1 

0
2004

e
m
u
l
o
v
d
e
z
i
l
a
m
r
o
N

VLLW

LLW

1,067 

2007

1.095 

2010

1.11 

2013

1.15 

2016

Figure 9. Normalised15 evolution of VLLW and LLW disposal amounts in EU since the end 
of 2004  

Overall, the situation remains broadly the same compared to the situation described in the first 
Commission  report.  17%  of  the  LLW  amount  generated  is  kept  in  storage.  There  is  no 
systematic increase in  the amounts in  storage between 2004 and 2016 and the overall  LLW 
amount  of  waste  generated  and  disposed  of  is  generally  in  equilibrium.  LLW  disposal  is 
dominated  by  Member  States  with  large  LLW  inventories,  whereas  a  number  of  Member 
States with smaller inventories do not yet dispose of their LLW. For ILW the situation is very 
different.  Less  than  4%  is  reported  as  disposed  of,  and  in  some  cases  such  ILW  will  be 

15  

The  chart shows relative change  factors of radioactive  waste volumes over the time in comparison to 
the 2004 (VLLW and LLW).  

16 

 
 
 
                                                 
 
 
retrieved as the current disposal facilities do not meet present safety requirements. There is a 
steady increase in ILW in storage. 

For HLW and spent fuel  declared as waste, the first  facility  for disposal  of such material  is 
expected around 2024 in Finland, with  other facilities in  France  (around  2035) and Sweden 
(around  2032).  Therefore,  one  should  expect  that  the  amounts  of  HLW  and  spent  fuel  in 
storage are increasing steadily in line with their generation. 

Currently,  thirteen  Member  States16  have  radioactive  waste  disposal  facilities  either  in 
operation  or  closed  (nuclear  power  programme  countries:  Czech  Republic,  Finland,  France, 
Germany,  Hungary,  Romania,  Slovakia,  Spain,  Sweden,  UK;  non-nuclear  programme 
countries: Latvia, Poland and Portugal) although based on the information from the national 
programmes and reports it is expected that more repositories will be built in the coming years.  

A  number  of  Member  States  (both  with  and  without  nuclear  power  plants)  have  dedicated 
disposal  sites  for  institutional  radioactive  waste.  In  some  cases,  the  disposal  of  waste 
undertaken in  the past  at  several  sites is  now being reconsidered and there are plans for the 
retrieval of the waste disposed of several  decades ago. Consequently, change of radioactive 
waste inventories can be expected after retrieval for processing and subsequent storage and/or 
disposal. 

Below, the status of RAW inventory for the current and previous reporting period is presented 
for  all  Member  States.  The  presentation  includes  amounts  of  RAW  per  management  status 
and for each of the four RAW classes. Because  of the above-mentioned  difference in  scale, 
the presentation is separate for Member States with and without nuclear power programme. 

Sixteen  EU  Member  States  operate  or  have  operated  nuclear  power  plants.  Member  States 
with  nuclear  power  programmes  account  together  for  99.7%  of  the  radioactive  waste 
inventory in the EU. Percentage share of the total RAW in 2016 between Member States with 
nuclear power programme is presented in Figure 10.  

16  

Bulgaria  and  Lithuania  categorised  as  using  these  past  disposal  (radon  type)  facilities  as  storage 
facilities.  See  Table  8  of  the  SWD(2017)  159  on  Progress  of  Implementation  of  Council  Directive 
2011/70/Euratom. 

17 

 
                                                 
Figure 10. Distribution of total volumes of radioactive waste in Member States with nuclear 
power programmes, end of 201617 

France  and  UK  have  by  far  the  highest  share  with  44.5%  and  36%  respectively.  The  next 
Member State with the highest share is Germany with 6.5%. The total volume of radioactive 
waste in these Member States is shown individually in Figure 11 (with indicated stored and 
disposed amounts in 2013 and 2016). 

17  

Member States’ abbreviations in this report are as follows: Austria (AT), Belgium (BE), Bulgaria (BG), 
Croatia (HR), Cyprus (CY), Czech Republic (CZ), Denmark (DK), Estonia (EE), Finland (FI), France 
(FR), Germany (DE), Greece (EL), Hungary (HU), Ireland (IE), Italy (IT), Latvia (LV), Lithuania (LT), 
Luxembourg  (LU),  Malta  (MT),  The  Netherlands  (NL),  Poland  (PL),  Portugal  (PT),  Romania  (RO), 
Slovakia (SK), Slovenia (SI), Spain (ES), Sweden (SE) and the United Kingdom (UK). 

18 

 
 
                                                 
Stored

Disposed

O
R

I
F

Z
C

I
S

U
H

L
N

E
S

S
E

E
B

G
B

T
I

K
S

T
L

E
D

K
U

R
F

2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013

  0

 200 000

 400 000

 600 000

 800 000

1 000 000

1 200 000

1 400 000

Volume, m3 

Figure 11. Volumes of RAW in Member States with nuclear power programme, end of 2013 
and 2016 

Twelve  Member  States  have  no  nuclear  power  programmes,  although  six  of  them  are 
operating  or  have  operated  research,  training  or  demonstration  reactors.  The  distribution 
among  the  Member  States  without  nuclear  power  programmes  and  the  total  volume  of 
radioactive waste is shown in Figure 12 and Figure 13 (with indicated stored and disposed of 
amounts for 2013 and 2016). 

19 

 
 
Figure 12. Distribution of total volumes of RAW in Member States without nuclear power 
programme, end of 2016 (HR, LU, CY, IE and MT have together 0.1%) 

Stored Disposed

T
M

E
I

Y
C

U
L

R
H

L
E

T
P

V
L

E
E

K
D

T
A

L
P

 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013

 0

 500

1 000

1 500

2 000
Volume, m3 

2 500

3 000

3 500

4 000

4 500

Figure 13. Volume of RAW in Member States without nuclear power programme, end of 
2013 and 2016 

Member  States  with  nuclear  power  programmes  are  primary  contributors  to  the  overall 
radioactive waste inventory of the EU. The radioactive waste amounts are in line with the size 
of the respective nuclear power programmes. Amounts of stored radioactive waste in Member 
States  with  nuclear  power  programmes  are  shown  in  Figure  14  for  2016  and  2013  (with 

20 

 
 
 
 
 
indicated amounts for all RAW classes). The difference between France and UK is primarily 
from the amount of stored RAW. 

O
R

I
F

Z
C

I
S

U
H

L
N

E
S

S
E

E
B

G
B

T
I

K
S

T
L

E
D

.

.

K
U

R
F

VLLW

LLW

ILW

HLW

 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013
 2 016
 2 013

 0

50 000

100 000

150 000

200 000
Volume, m3 

250 000

300 000

350 000

400 000

Figure 14. Volumes of stored RAW by class in Member States with nuclear power 
programmes, end of 2013 and 2016 

The amounts of stored radioactive waste for Member States which are without nuclear power 
programmes are shown in Figure 15 for 2016 and 2013 (with indicated amounts for all RAW 
classes). 

21 

 
 
 
VLLW

LLW

ILW

T
M

E
I

Y
C

U
L

R
H

T
P

V
L

L
E

L
P

E
E

K
D

T
A

 2 016

 2 013

 2 016
 2 013

 2 016

 2 013

 2 016

 2 013
 2 016

 2 013

 2 016

 2 013

 2 016
 2 013

 2 016

 2 013

 2 016

 2 013
 2 016

 2 013

 2 016

 2 013

 2 016
 2 013

  500

 1 000

Volume, m3 

 1 500

 2 000

 2 500

Figure 15. Volumes of stored RAW by class in MSs without nuclear power programme, end 
of 2013 and 2016 

Distribution of the disposed radioactive waste is presented for all Member States in Figure 16 
regardless of whether they have a nuclear power programme or not (with indicated amounts 
of all RAW classes for 2016 and for 2013 for comparison). No HLW waste is disposed of in 
any Member State as of the current reporting period. 

22 

 
 
 
 
T
P

V
L

O
R

L
P

U
H

I
F

K
S

Z
C

S
E

E
S

E
D

.

.

K
U

R
F

2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016
2013
2016

  0

 200 000

 400 000

 600 000

 800 000

1 000 000

1 200 000

VLLW LLW ILW

Figure 16. Volumes of radioactive waste disposed of in the EU,  
end of 2013 and 2016 

Spent fuel inventory 

Based  on  the  Member  State  strategy,  spent  fuel  is  stored  pending  either  disposal  or 
reprocessing. During reprocessing, uranium and plutonium are recovered and separated from 
fission  products,  which  are  radioactive  waste  (mainly  HLW  and  ILW).  As  there  are  no 
operational disposal facilities for this type of radioactive waste, spent fuel is currently stored 
until disposal facilities become available. 

At  the  end  of  2016  approximately  58  000  tHM  of  spent  fuel  was  stored  in  the  EU  (7% 
increase from 2013 and 29% increase since 200718) and around 900 tHM of spent fuel (about 
1.5  %)  was  sent  for  reprocessing  outside  the  EU  with  the  expected  returns  of  resulting 
radioactive  waste  from  reprocessing.  These  amounts  include  both  spent  fuel  coming  from 
power and non-power (e.g. research, isotope production) reactors.  

18  

See footnote 4. 

23 

 
 
 
 
                                                 
2013

2016

Poland
Denmark
Netherlands
Italy
Slovenia
Bulgaria
Hungary
Slovakia
Czech Republic
Finland
Lithuania
Romania
Belgium
UK
Spain
Sweden
Germany
France

 0

2 000

4 000

6 000

8 000

10 000

12 000

14 000

Mass of heavy metals, tHM 

Figure 17. Spent fuel in storage (end of 2013 and 2016) 

Most recent reported amounts of spent fuel stored in individual Member States are shown in 
Figure 17 together with values from 2013 for comparison. Some Member States have smaller 
inventories of spent fuel (or none) in storage than that generated by the nuclear power plants 
because part of it or all has been reprocessed. On the other end, countries with neither past, 
nor current  reprocessing, have comparably high spent  fuel  inventories. A  steady increase of 
the  spent  fuel  mass  is  visible  for  all  Member  States.  The  percentage  share  of  spent  fuel 
between Member States is presented in the Figure 18. 

24 

 
  
 
 
Spain 
8,6% 

Sweden 
11,7% 

Germany 
15,3% 

UK 
10,4% 

Belgium 
6,4% 

Romania 
5,0% 

France 
24,2% 

Poland 
0,0% 

Lithuania 
4,2% 
Finland 
3,6% 
Czech Republic 
3,4% 
Slovakia 
2,8% 
Hungary 
2,2% 
Bulgaria 
1,5% 
Slovenia 
0,8% 
Italy 
0,0% 
Netherlands 
0,0% 
Denmark 
0,0% 

Figure 18. Member States' contribution to the overall spent fuel inventory in the EU, end of 
2016 

France has almost one quarter of all EU spent fuel, followed by Germany, which has almost 9 
percent points less. The third is Sweden with close to 4 percent points less. There is a gradual 
but smaller difference among the Member States with less spent fuel.  

Figure 19 presents the evolution of the total spent fuel mass for all Member States during all 
reporting periods. The rate of spent fuel mass increase is noticeably slower after 2010.   

Given that today there is no disposal route available for spent fuel (first disposal facilities to 
become  operational  in  2024-2035)  and  that  not  all  Member  States  have  their  spent  fuel 
reprocessed, there is a continual increase in the amount of spent fuel in storage (see Table 5 
and Figure 19). 

53 299 

54 251 

57 861 

44 853 

38 098 

M
H
t

,
s
l
a
t
e
m
y
v
a
e
h
f
o
s
s
a
M

60 000

50 000

40 000

30 000

20 000

10 000

 0

2004

2007

2010

2013

2016

Figure 19. Evolution of spent fuel in storage in Member States since the end of 2004 

25 

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
6. 

Projections of radioactive waste and spent fuel  

In the SWD on the EU Inventory (SWD(2017) 161) the Commission reported that projections 
of  radioactive  waste  inventories  in  Member  States  differed  in  the  level  of  detail  and  time 
frames  provided  and  several  Member  States  have  not  provided  any  or  sufficiently  detailed 
estimates  of  their  future  inventory  of  spent  fuel  and/or  radioactive  waste,  particularly 
regarding new builds and decommissioning. Therefore, at that time it was not possible for the 
Commission to forecast future total EU inventories. 

In  the  second  national  reports,  Member  States  improved  reporting  of  the  future  projections 
compared  to  the  first  national  reports.  Additional  information  reported  by  Member  States 
allowed for the first time to prepare an EU radioactive waste and spent fuel forecast for 2030. 
Even if this is a clear progress in reporting, it should be noted that all uncertainties mentioned 
before  are  significantly  larger  for  future  predictions.  Due  to  limitations  of  the  reported 
inventory data only estimations of radioactive waste and spent fuel projections for 2030 was 
possible.  The  majority  of  the  Member  States  also  provided  estimates  of  their  future 
inventories for 2050. However, due to the unavailability of inventory forecast data for 2050 
from some large Member States, it was not possible to establish an overall EU inventory long-
term forecast.  

In the first national reports, Member States were using two different reporting approaches for 
estimation of radioactive waste projections: 

-  One approach was to provide the data along with the reference waste classes for the 
end  of  the  useful  life  of  existing  facilities  and  sites,  including  decommissioning  and 
site remediation. 

-  The other approach was to provide the amounts of radioactive waste for the different 

reference waste classes for specified future dates.  

In the second national reports the majority of the Member States have reported their inventory 
projections  for  2030  and  2050.  In  addition  to  the  inventory  projections  for  specific  dates,  a 
few Member States reported long-term estimations of overall radioactive waste and spent fuel 
generation from the existing nuclear facilities, including decommissioning of those facilities. 

Estimated  EU  radioactive  waste  and  spent  fuel  inventory  for  2030  is  presented  in  Table  5. 
Data reported by individual Member States are given in Annex I of this document.  

Decommissioning of nuclear power plants will become an increasingly important activity for 
the European nuclear industry in the coming years due to the ageing of the reactor fleet. This 
will  have  an  important  impact  on  the  amounts  of  radioactive  waste  generated,  especially 
VLLW and LLW, and should thus be taken into account when planning disposal and storage 
facilities. As can be seen from Figure 20, it is expected that total VLLW volumes will double 
by 2030 compared to the current amounts, and that a significant increase of LLW is expected 
as well. The current VLLW volumes make only 44% of the expected VLLW amounts in 2030 
(equivalent to a 225% increase from the current level). Vor LLW current amounts make 76% 

26 

 
of  the  expected  LLW  amounts  in  2030.  The  main  contributors  to  this  increase  are  Member 
States with largest nuclear programmes. 

For  ILW  and  HLW,  safe  and  responsible  management  is  challenging  in  terms  of  the 
availability  of  sufficient  long-term  storage  capacity  and  the  development  of  sustainable 
disposal solutions. It is expected that ILW by 2030 will increase by approximately 35%. The 
biggest  part  of  this  increase  will  come  from  decommissioning  activities.  HLW  increase  by 
about 50% will result from reprocessing of spent fuel (mostly in France).   

Table 5. Estimated future amounts of RAW in the EU MSs for 2030 

Future RAW and SF amount estimates (m3) 

VLLW 

LLW 

ILW 

HLW 

SF 

2016 

2030 

603 000 

2 519 000 

1 360 000 

3 322 000 

338 000 

455 000 

6 000 

9 000 

58 000 

76 000 

Current radioactive waste vs estimate in 2030 (fractions) 

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

76% 

74% 

44% 

67% 

VLLW

LLW

ILW

HLW

Estimated
in 2030

Current
volume

Figure  20.  Estimation  of  radioactive  waste  generation  by  2030  compared  to  current 
inventory 

With regards to spent fuel, an increase from present 58 000 tHM to 76 000 tHM in 2030 is 
estimated. It has to be noted, that the majority of Member States have not reported inventories 
from  planned  new  build  nuclear  power  plants.  It  is  expected  that  by  2030  the  spent  fuel 
inventory  will increase by  approximately 10%.  As some Member States proceed with  spent 
fuel  reprocessing,  the  actual  increase  does  not  represent  the  actual  amount  of  spent  fuel 
discharged from the reactors. Part of the spent fuel is sent for reprocessing outside the EU and 

27 

 
 
 
 
 
 
it is  expected that  around 1100  m3  of radioactive waste from spent fuel  reprocesing  will be 
returned by 2030. 

28 

 
 
 
 
Annex I: 

Spent fuel and radioactive waste inventory data 

"-"   in  the  tables  below  means  no  data  was  received  from  the  Member  State  or  no  such 

practice exists 

"0"  in the table means that the data with value "0" was received from the Member State 

Table I.1. Overall EU radioactive waste inventory and the future prospects as at the end 
of 2016 

Total  RAW 

2016 

MS 

Category 

Volume,  
m3 

Decom. 
Share, 
m3 

2030 

Volume,  
m3 

Decom. 
Share, 
m3 

2050 

Volume,  
m3 

Decom. 
Share, 
m3 

Other  date 

Volume, m3 
[Date, year] 

Decom. 
Share, m3 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

2 240 

900 

3 050 

1 930 

3 620 

2 390 

Austria 

VLLW 

LLW 

ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 

Belgium 

LLW 

Bulgaria 

ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 

60 
- 
- 

14 912 

8 755 

70 
4 817 
24 380 
10 
0 
- 

LLW 

7.53 

Croatia 

ILW 

HLW 

VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 

ILW 
HLW 

3.81 

0 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
13 350 

9270 

0 

Cyprus 

Czech 
Republic 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
3600 
[2045] 

- 
2390 
[2045] 
30  60 [2045]  30 [2045] 
- 
- 
- 
- 
54 900 
[2130] 
10 900 
[2130]  
-  250 [2130]  
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
1440 
[2023] 
4490 
[2043] 
4540 
[2060] 
- 
0 [2023] 
41 [2043] 
41 [2060] 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
146 000 
[2085] 
4 424 

- 
0 [2023] 
41 [2043] 
41 [2060] 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
83 000 
[2085] 
2 829 t 

0 [2023] 
2 660 
[2043] 
2660 
[2060] 

- 
- 
- 
- 

41 

0 

- 

4 540 

23 200 

150 

30 
- 
- 

- 

- 

- 
0 
150 
0 
0 
- 

0 

0 

0 

- 
- 
- 
- 

0 

0 

0 

60 
- 
- 

29 400 

8 700 

70 
42 000 
90 200 
10 
1 100 
- 

30 
- 
- 

- 

- 

- 
35 000 
42 000 
0 
0 
- 

60 
- 
- 

52 600 

10 780 

250 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

1 546 

100 

4 561 

- 

0 

- 
<1 
- 
- 
- 
17 600 

- 

0 

- 
- 
- 
- 

11 000 

- 

41 

- 
<1 
- 
- 
- 
32 800 

2 850 

1 500 

2 500 

4200 t 

4200 t 

41 

29 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total  RAW 

2016 

MS 

Category 

Volume,  
m3 

Decom. 
Share, 
m3 

2030 

Volume,  
m3 

Decom. 
Share, 
m3 

2050 

Volume,  
m3 

Decom. 
Share, 
m3 

Other  date 

Volume, m3 
[Date, year] 

Decom. 
Share, m3 

Denmark 

Estonia 

Finland 

France 

Germany 

Greece 

Hungary 

Ireland 

Italy 

Latvia 

VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 

VLLW 

LLW 

ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 

VLLW 

LLW 

ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 

LLW 

- 
1 200 
620 
- 
- 
1 082 
64 
- 
- 
6 300 
3 200 
- 

482 000 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
1 926 
9 949 
- 
- 
1 112 
65 
- 
- 
9 300 
7 130 
- 

970 000 

917 000 

-  1 200 000 

135 500 

3 650 

- 
202 713* 
22 523* 
569.52 
44.2 
72.8 
0.5 
- 
2 950 
7 376 
4 725 
150 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

160 000 

5 700 

- 
300 378 
34 115 
700 
< 200 
< 200 
< 1 
- 
3 536 
8 841 
5 706 
173 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
28 
- 
- 
- 
38 
- 
- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
< 50 
< 50 
< 1 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
3 162 
9 949 
- 
- 
2 024 
802 
- 
- 
11 800 
7 650 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
337 
650 
- 
- 
29 038 
- 
- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 
340 878 
38 615 
700 
- 
- 
- 
- 
4 829 
12 072 
7 740 
228 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

8 591 

1 456 

24 631 

16 041 

30 792 

22 201 

24 488 

3 607 

41 679 

16 291 

46 015 

19 427 

6 300 

171 

11 198 

4 509 

13 497 

6 807 

0 

0 

873 

- 

0 

0 

38.1 

0 

- 

0 

38.1 

0 

- 

0 

1 889 

1 000 

1 919 

1 000 

30 

[2085] 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
1 600 000 
[2040] 
1 500 000 
[2040] 
170 000 
[2040] 
6 900 
[2040] 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
30 792 
[2065] 
46 915 
[2065] 
13 497 
[2065] 
38.1 
[2065] 
- 
1 904 
[2040] 

[2085] 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
930 000 
[2040] 
420 000 
[2040] 
31 000 
[2040] 

0 [2040] 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
22 201 
[2065] 
19 427 
[2065] 
6 807 
[2065] 

- 

- 
1000 
[2040] 

 
 
 
 
Total  RAW 

2016 

MS 

Category 

Volume,  
m3 

Decom. 
Share, 
m3 

2030 

Volume,  
m3 

Decom. 
Share, 
m3 

2050 

Volume,  
m3 

Decom. 
Share, 
m3 

Other  date 

Volume, m3 
[Date, year] 

Decom. 
Share, m3 

Lithuania 

Luxem-
bourg 

Malta  

The 
Netherlan
ds  

Poland 

Portugal 

ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 

LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 

Romania 

LLW 

ILW 

HLW 

VLLW 

Slovakia 

LLW 

ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 

LLW 
ILW 

Slovenia 

18 
0 
22 345 
49 340 
2 077 
- 
- 
0.1 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- ** 

0 
0 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

11 358 

- ** 

- 
105 
1 051 
2 757 
218 
- 
- 
232 
33 
- 
437 

3 376 

100 

0.12 

26 635 

23 249 

52 

- 
- 

2 345 

38 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
0 
0 
- 
437 

0 

0 

0 

- 

- 

- 

- 
- 

0 

0 

32 
0 
40 015 
40 997 
5 483 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
1 280 
4 800 
491 
- 
- 
269 
47 
- 
- 

10 
0 
24 978 
5 696 
3 227 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
100 
0 
- 
- 

37 
0 
55 725 
68 077 
10 359 
- 
- 
0.1 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
1 850 
23 730 
551 
- 
- 
231 
69 
- 
- 

7 670 

1 000 

17 250 

285 

60 

1 075 

0 

0 

0 

29 000 

29 000 

29 000 

38 512 

24 648 

44 644 

1 200 

1 187 

1 900 

- 
- 

2 970 

2 

- 
- 

0 

0 

- 
- 

4 207 

0 

31 

- 

- 

50 
130 
- 
- 
- 
90 
3 
- 
- 

10  35 [2040]  10 [2040] 
- 
- 
0 
- 
- 
40 996 
- 
- 
9 739 
- 
- 
8 103 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
70 000 
[2130] 
-  267 [2130] 
-  133 [2130] 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
12 730 
[2040] 
32 370  
[2095] 
960 [2040] 
2 235 
[2095] 
0 [2040]  
0 [2095] 
29 000 
[2040] 
41 894 
[2040] 
1 900 
[2040] 
- 
- 
3 336 
[2040] 
6 [2040] 

0 [2040] 
0 [2095] 
29 000 
[2040] 
25 136 
[2040] 
1 887 
[2040] 
- 
- 

60 [2040] 
1 320 
[2095] 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

0 [2040] 

0 [2040] 

29 000 

25 136 

2 000 

1 887 

175 

740 

- 
- 

0 

0 

2 000 
[2040]  
16 100 
[2095] 

 
 
 
 
- 
79 000 
[2090] 
42 500 
[2090] 
600 
[2090] 
0 [2090] 
- 
- 
- 
- 
2 812 800 
[2125] 
2 174 003 
[2125] 
258 210 
[2125] 

0 [2125] 

Total  RAW 

2016 

MS 

Category 

Volume,  
m3 

Decom. 
Share, 
m3 

2030 

Volume,  
m3 

Decom. 
Share, 
m3 

2050 

Volume,  
m3 

Decom. 
Share, 
m3 

Other  date 

Volume, m3 
[Date, year] 

Decom. 
Share, m3 

HLW 

VLLW 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

21 107 

11 155 

45 000 

25 000 

110 800 

79 000 

Spain 

LLW 

39 034 

2 985 

56 000 

13 000 

90 400 

42 500 

- 
110 800 
[2090] 
90 400 
[2090] 

Sweden 

UK  

* 

**  

ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 

VLLW 

LLW 

ILW 

HLW 

201 

31 

400 

300 

800 

600  800 [2090] 

12 
30 741 
47 422 
5 300 
0 

1 510 

0 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

12 
53 540 
90 000 
11 500 
- 

151 000 

0 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

12 
53 540 
145 000 
15 000 
- 

550 000 

1 098 800 

-  1 351 700 

-  1 588 700 

148 000 

1 660 

- 

- 

191 000 

1 500 

- 

- 

258 000 

1 500 

- 

0  12 [2090] 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
2 930 000 
[2125] 
2 442 700 
[2125] 
453 000 
[2125] 
1 500 
[2125] 

- 

- 

- 

Indicated  LLW  and  ILW  amounts  include  19  503t  of  unconditioned  non-heat  generating  waste.  For 
aggregation purposes Commission Services assumed 1t = 1m3 (numbers not verified by Germany)  

 Information  on  VLLW  inventory  as  well  as  origin  of  waste  amounts  is  not  registered  in  the 
Netherlands.  

32 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Table I.2. Spent fuel stored on Member States' territory 

Country 

Austria 

Belgium 

Bulgaria 

Croatia* 

Cyprus 

SF in Storage on a Member State territory (tHM) 

2016 

2030 

2050 

Other date (Mass/date) 

- 

- 

- 

- 

3 676 

3800 

3800 

3 800 [2130] 

876 

1 496 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

Czech Republic 

1 969 

2913 

5268 

9910 [>2185] 

Denmark 

Estonia 

Finland 

France 

Germany 

Greece 

Hungary 

Ireland 

Italy 

Latvia 

Lithuania 

Luxembourg 

Malta 

The Netherlands*** 

Poland 

Portugal 

Romania 

Slovakia 
Slovenia* 

Spain 

Sweden 

UK 

0.238 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

2 099 

3 812 

5 005 

- 

- 

- 

14 019 

15 457 

- 

16 956 [2040] 

8 849 

10 110  10 110 

0**   

- 

- 

1 246 

2 101 

3 330 

- 

15.677 

- 

- 

2.5 

- 

- 

2.5 

- 

2 416 

2 416 

2 416 

- 

- 
8.2 m3 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

0.4 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

2.5 [2065] 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

2 882 

6 600  14 300 

20 400 [2080] 

1 606 

2 289 

3 380 

470 

673 

900 

4 975 

6 672 

6 672 

6 759 

9 500  12 000 

6 003 

- 

- 

- 

829 [2040] 

6 672 [2090] 

- 

- 

* 

Spent fuel reported by Slovenia to be shared equally by Croatia and Slovenia. 

Irradiated fuel of the research reactor GRR-1 has been repatriated in February 2019. 

** 
***  In the Netherlands the inventory of spent fuel is recorded in m3. 

33 

 
 
 
Table I.3. Conditioned radioactive waste stored on Member States’ territory 

Stored conditioned RAW (Estimated volume for disposal, m3) 

Country 

RAW 

2016 

2030 

2050 

Austria 

Belgium 

Bulgaria 

Croatia 

Cyprus 

Czech 
Republic 

Denmark 

Estonia 

Finland 

France 

VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 

LLW 

ILW 

HLW 

- 
2 240 
60 
- 
- 
14 912 
8 755 
70 
2 490 
11 730 
0 
0 
- 

7.5 

3.8 

0 

- 
VLLW 
- 
LLW 
- 
ILW 
- 
HLW 
- 
VLLW 
1 500 
LLW 
420 
ILW 
- 
HLW 
- 
VLLW 
1 200 
LLW 
- 
ILW 
- 
HLW 
- 
VLLW 
408 
LLW 
9 
ILW 
- 
HLW 
- 
VLLW 
300 
LLW 
50  
ILW 
- 
HLW 
VLLW  154 000 
74 100 
LLW 
135 500 
ILW 

- 
3 050 
60 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
0 
74 200 
10 
1 100 
- 

- 

- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
3 600 
350 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
408 
9 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

34 

- 
3 620 
60 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
3 600 
350 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

Volume [Date] 
- 
3600 [2045] 
60 [2045] 
- 
- 
54 900 [2130] 
10 900 [2130] 
250 [2130] 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
1 150 [2023] 
4 490 [2043] 
4 540 [2060] 
- 
0 [2023] 
41 [2043] 
41 [2060] 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

 
Stored conditioned RAW (Estimated volume for disposal, m3) 

Country 

RAW 

2016 

2030 

2050 

Volume [Date] 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 

3 650 
- 
109 782 
12 198 
570 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
3 097 
2 620 
1 073 
- 
- 
53 
5 
- 
7 813 
24 787 
0 
0 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
11 358 
- 
105** 
19 
1 161 

Germany 

Greece 

Hungary 

Ireland 

Italy 

Latvia 

Lithuania 

Luxembourg 

Malta 

The 
Netherlands 

Poland 

- 
- 
198 000 
22 740 
700 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
15 575 
27 881 
11 251 
38 
- 
78 
15 
- 
0 
14 417 
0 
0 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
50 
900 

35 

- 
- 
- 
740 
700 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
728 
208 
13 550 
38 
- 
110 
15 
- 
0 
0 
0 
0 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
50 
900 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
0 [2065] 
0 [2065] 
13 550 [2065] 
38 [2065] 
- 
93 [2040] 
15 [2040] 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
70 000 [2130] 
267 [2130] 
133 [2130] 
- 
- 

 
Stored conditioned RAW (Estimated volume for disposal, m3) 

0 

2050 

1 075 

1 600 

540 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

Volume [Date] 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
1800 [2040] 
950 [2060] 
960 [2040] 
1 075 [2060] 
0 [2040] 
0 [2060] 
- 
1 400 [2040] 
1 900 [2040] 
- 
- 
1 885 [2040] 
6 [2040] 
0 
0 [2090] 
0 [2090] 
0 [2090] 
0 [2090] 
- 
- 
- 
- 
55 000  2 930 000 [2125] 
526 000  2 380 000 [2125] 
453 000 [2125] 
258 000 
1 500 [2125] 
1 500 

0 
1 000 
1 900 
- 
- 
2 021 
0 
0 
0 
0 
800 
12 
0 
5 000 
10 000 
- 

Country 

Portugal* 

RAW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 

2016 

2030 

207 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
437 

480 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

LLW 

1 187 

2 000 

Romania 

ILW 

101 

285 

HLW 

0.12 

0 

Slovakia 

Slovenia 

Spain 

Sweden 

UK 

VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 

26 631 
23 249 
24 
- 
- 
2 329 
24 
- 
11 020 
6 836 
201 
12 
2 900 
8 500 
5 300 
0 
0 
14 300 
41 400 
1 130 

0 
1 600 
1 200 
- 
- 
1 519 
2 
0 
6 000 
10 000 
400 
12 
2 000 
30 000 
11 500 
- 
151 000 
289 000 
191 000 
1 500 

*   All waste declared as disposed of. 

** Includes research reactors' spent fuel (7 m3) 

36 

 
 
 
Table I.4. Unconditioned radioactive waste stored on Member States’ territory 

Country 

Austria 

Belgium 

Bulgaria 

Croatia 

Cyprus 

Czech 
Republic 

Denmark 

Estonia 

Finland 

France 

2050 

2030 

2016 
Storage 

Volume 
[Date] 

Volume 
RAW 

Stored unconditioned RAW (volume, m3 / or mass, t) 
Estimated 
disposal 
volume 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
2 327 
12 650 
10 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
2 035 
1 700 
10 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
-  63 000 [>2085] 

LLW 

ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 

-  4 424 [>2085] 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
676.4 
56.6 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
620 
- 
- 
1275 
140 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

37 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
2 327 
8 214 
3 
0 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
351t,  
1 843 
1.3 
- 
- 
- 
938 
- 
- 
674 
55 
- 
- 
1 481 
535 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

 
2050 

2030 

2016 
Storage 

Volume 
RAW 

- 
- 
- 
- 
53.4 
63.6 
< 1 
- 
845 
2 114 
1 670 
173 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
2 
17 
- 
0 
0 

Stored unconditioned RAW (volume, m3 / or mass, t) 
Estimated 
disposal 
volume 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
1 795 
4 487 
2 992 
150 
- 
- 
- 
- 
5 495 
21 868 
5 227 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
14 532 
24 552 
2 077 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
131 
328 
694 
298 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
0 
22 
- 
0 
0 
5 483  10 359 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
17 553t 
1 950t 
- 
44.2 
72.8 
0.5t 
- 
2 034 
5 086 
3 252 
102 
- 
- 
- 
- 
10 128 
10 279 
1 635 
- 
- 
2 
13 
- 
20 800 
9 150 
928 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

Country 

Germany 

Greece 

Hungary 

Ireland 

Italy 

Latvia 

Lithuania 

Luxembourg 

Malta 

The 
Netherlands 

Poland 

Volume 
[Date] 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

38 

 
Country 

Portugal* 

Romania 

Slovakia 

Slovenia 

Spain 

Sweden 

UK 

2050 

2030 

2016 
Storage 

Volume 
RAW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

Stored unconditioned RAW (volume, m3 / or mass, t) 
Estimated 
disposal 
volume 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
3.8t 
3.8 
27t 
27 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
81 
- 
14 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
935 
1 510 
21 800 
19 500 
67 800  106 600 
530 
1 100 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 

Volume 
[Date] 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

*  

All waste declared as disposed of.  

39 

 
 
 
 
Table I.5. Disposed of radioactive waste on Member States’ territory 

Disposed RAW (Volume as disposed, m3) 

Country 

Austria 

Belgium 

Bulgaria 

Croatia 

Cyprus 

Czech 
Republic 

Denmark 

Estonia 

Finland 

France 

RAW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 

ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 

LLW 

ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 
VLLW 

LLW 

ILW 

HLW 

VLLW 

LLW 
ILW 

2016 

2030 

2050 

Other date 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
42 000 

16 000 

0 
0 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

14 000 

29 200 

2 500 

4200 t 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

8 020 

7 100 

- 

- 

- 

- 

2 000 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
2 024 
802 
- 
- 

9 820 

7 800 

- 

- 

- 

- 

11 850 

8 850 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

6 020 

2 160 

0 

328 249 

843 171 

0 

40 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

 
Disposed RAW (Volume as disposed, m3) 

Country 

Germany 

Greece 

Hungary 

Ireland 

Italy 

Latvia 

Lithuania 

Luxembourg 

Malta 

The 
Netherlands 

RAW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

2016 

2030 

0 
- 
75 378 
8 375 
0 
- 
- 
- 
- 
1 155 
2 889 
1 733 
0 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
0 

- 
- 
102 378 
11 375 
0 
- 
- 
- 
- 
2 691 
6 727 
4 036 
0 
- 
- 
- 
- 
9 056 
13 798 
- 
- 
0 

2050 

- 
- 
340 878 
37 875 
0 
- 
- 
- 
- 
4 698 
11 745 
7 047 
0 
- 
- 
- 
- 
30 064 
45 807 
- 
- 
- 

818 

1 809 

1 809 

0 
40 015 
26 580 
1 020 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
55 725 
68 077 
0 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

0 
0 
0 
0 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 

41 

- * 

Other date 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
30 792 [2065] 
46 915 [2065] 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

 
 
 
 
 
Disposed RAW (Volume as disposed, m3) 

Country 

Poland 

Portugal 

Romania 

Slovakia 

Slovenia 

Spain 

Sweden 

UK 

RAW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 

LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 

LLW 
ILW 

HLW 
VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 
HLW 

VLLW 
LLW 
ILW 

HLW 

2016 

2030 

2050 

Other date 

- 
1 033 
1 596 
11 
0 
- 
232 
33 
- 
- 

2 189 

- 
- 
-** 
-** 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
10 087 
32 198 
- 
- 
27 841 
38 922 
0 
0 
- 
1 062 700*** 
0 
0 

- 
1230 
3 900 
11 
- 
- 
269 
47 
- 
- 

- 
1 800 
22 830 
11 
- 
- 
231 
69 
- 
- 

5 670 

15 430 

- 
- 
29 000 
36 912 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
29 000 
43 644 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
10 930[2040] 
19 930 [2060] 
- 
- 
29 000 [2040] 
40 494 [2040] 
- 
- 
- 

1452 

2187 

1452 [2040] 

- 
39 000 
46 000 
- 
- 
51 540 
60 000 
0 

- 

- 
110 800  110 800 [2090] 
90 400 [2090] 
90 400 
800 [2090] 
- 
12 [2090] 
- 
53 540 
- 
140 000 
5 000 

- 
- 
0 
0 

- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 

* 

Information on VLLW inventory is not registered in the Netherlands. 

** 

Information on currently disposed VLLW/LLW not reported by Slovakia. 

***  Includes 33 600 m3 of LLW in Dounreay historical disposal pits. 

42 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table I.6. Other radioactive waste on Member States’ territory 

Country 

Waste type 

Amount (number, volume, mass or 
activity) 

2016 

2030 

2050 

Austria 

Belgium 

Bulgaria 

Croatia 

Cyprus 

Czech 
Republic 

Denmark 

Estonia 

Finland 

France 

Germany 

Greece 

Hungary 

Ireland 

Italy 

Latvia 

DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
Radium extracting 
waste (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (t) 

Tailings and ore (t) 
DSRS (number) 

NORM (t) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (t) 
Uranium conversion 
treatment residues (m3) 
Products remaining 
after extraction of the 
uranium contained by 
the ore (t) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (GBq) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 

43 

- 
- 
- 
- 

275 000 

428 
- 
- 
- 
718 
- 
60 885 
- 
- 
450 
4 800 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 

- 
- 
819 
100 
- 
- 
16 
- 
906 907 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
1 250 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
2 250 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

 
Country 

Waste type 

Amount (number, volume, mass or 
activity) 

Lithuania 

Luxembourg 

Malta 

The 
Netherlands 

Poland 

Portugal 

Romania 

Slovakia 

Slovenia 

Spain 

Sweden 

U.K. 

NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (m3) 
Contaminated  
material (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
Uranium salts (kg) 
Thorium salts (kg) 
Contaminated material 
(m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
Other (m3) 
Sterile and radioactive 
rock (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 
DSRS (number) 
NORM (m3) 

2016 

- 
85 000 
67 
- 

- 

103 
- 
2.23 
0.125 

0.125 

- 
21 509 
- 
- 
- 
200 
- 
2 692 800 
25 605 

7 082 552 

2030 

- 
85 000 
- 
- 

2050 

- 
85 000 
- 
0.1 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
350 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
158 000* 
- 
- 
- 
550 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
1 614 443  1 614 443  1 614 443 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

* 

NORM estimate for The Netherlands in 2130. 

44 

 
 
 
Table I.7. Comparison of global EU radioactive wastes in disposal 
(m3, rounded to thousands) 

Disposed 

6th report3  
2004* 

7th report4 
2007* 

EC internal data 
2010* 

2013 

2016 

2030** 

Total waste 

1 851 000* 

2 045 000* 

2 188 000* 

2 316 000  2 483 000  3 201 000 

VLLW 

LLW 

ILW 

HLW 

34 000 

105 000 

197 000 

279 000 

369 000 

743 000 

1 817 000* 

1 940 000* 

1 991 000* 

2 025 000  2 102 000  2 429 000 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

12 000 

12 000 

29 000 

0 

0 

0 

*   Reviewed and updated data. For more information see Commission SWD(2017) 161 final, 15.5.2017 

**  Commission estimate primarily based on the information reported by Member States and on the other sources 

when information was not available in second national reports. 

45 

 
 
 
Table I.8. Comparison of global EU spent fuel and radioactive wastes in storage (m3, 
rounded to thousands) 

Stored 

6th report3 
2004* 

7th report4 
2007* 

EC internal data 
2010* 

2013 

2016 

2030** 

Total SF 

38 000 

45 000 

53 000 

54 000 

58 000 

76 000 

Total waste 

798 000* 

962 000* 

909 000* 

997 000 

983 000 

1 945 000 

VLLW 

176 000 

175 000* 

217 000* 

237 000 

234 000 

617 000 

LLW 

ILW 

HLW 

411 000* 

495 000* 

365 000* 

428 000 

417 000 

893 000 

206 000* 

288 000* 

321 000* 

326 000 

326 000 

426 000 

5 000* 

4 000 

5 000 

6 000 

6 000 

9 000 

*   Reviewed and updated data. For more information see Commission SWD(2017) 161 final, 15.5.2017. 

**  Commission estimate primarily based on the information reported by Member States and on the other sources 

when information was not available in second national reports. 

46 

 
 
 
 
Table I.9. Comparison of global EU spent fuel and radioactive wastes – Total (m3, 
rounded to thousands) 

Total 

6th report3 
2004* 

7th report4 
2007* 

EC internal data 
2010* 

2013 

2016 

2030** 

Total SF 

38 000 

45 000 

53 000 

54 000 

58 000 

76 000 

Total waste 

2 649 000*  3 007 000* 

3 097 000* 

3 313 000  3 466 000  5 146 000 

VLLW 

210 000 

280 000* 

414 000* 

516 000 

603 000  1 360 000 

LLW 

ILW 

HLW 

2 228 000*  2 435 000* 

2 356 000* 

2 453 000  2 519 000  3 322 000 

206 000* 

288 000* 

321 000* 

338 000 

338 000 

455 000 

5 000* 

4 000 

5 000 

6 000 

6 000 

9 000 

*   Reviewed and updated data. For more information see Commission SWD(2017) 161 final, 15.5.2017. 

**  Commission estimate primarily based on the information reported by Member States and on the other sources 

when information was not available in second national reports. 

47 

 
 
 
 
Annex II: 

Summary of radioactive waste classifications in Member States 

Table II.1. Summary of radioactive waste classification schemes used by the EU 
Member States 

MS 

Summary 

AT  The  structure  and  classification  of  the  radioactive  waste  at  NES  is  based  on  the 
recommendation  of  the  European  Commission  (Commission  Recommendation  of  15 
September  1999  on  a  classification  system  for  solid  radioactive  waste  1999/669/EC, 
Euratom): 

LILW-SL:  Low  and  Intermediate  Level  Waste  –  Short  Lived;  waste  containing 
radionuclides with a maximum half-life of around 30 years (such as Cs-137 and Sr-90 ) 
with a limited concentration of long-lived radionuclides. 

In accordance with the recommendation of the European Commission, for the category 
LILW-SL  long-lived  radio-nuclides  are  limited  to  4  000  Bq/g  in  individual  waste 
packages and to an overall average of 400 Bq/g in the total waste volume. 

LILW-LL:  Low  and  Intermediate  Level  Waste  –  Long  Lived;  waste  containing  long-
lived radionuclides, whose concentration exceeds the limits for LILW-SL. 

Waste  stored  for  decay:  Waste  containing  radionuclides  with  a  half-life  below  100 
days; such waste is stored until the radioactivity decays and the waste may be disposed 
of as conventional inactive waste following clearance measures by the authority. 

As no nuclear power plants or other large nuclear facilities are in operation in Austria, 
there is no high-level radioactive waste, only low- and intermediate-level waste, such as 
waste from medical uses, industry, research and the decommissioning of facilities. 

48 

 
 
 
BE  For  the  long-term  management  of  radioactive  waste,  ONDRAF/NIRAS  has  adopted  a 
classification in three categories (these categories do not cover the radioactive radium-
bearing substances contained in Umicore’s licensed storage facilities in Olen), defined in 
accordance with the classification proposed in 1994 by the IAEA and that recommended 
in  1999  by  the  European  Commission:  waste  is  classified  according  to  its  activity  and 
half-life. 

Category  A  waste  is  short-lived,  low-level  and  intermediate-level  conditioned  waste 
containing  limited  quantities  of  long-lived  radionuclides.  It  poses  a  risk  to  people  and 
the environment for several hundreds of years. It can be considered for surface or near-
surface  disposal.  It  corresponds  to  low-level  waste  (LLW)  in  the  IAEA  2009 
classification. The radiological criteria and limits for category A waste will be defined in 
the  safety  report  and  licensing  conditions  for  the  planned  surface  disposal  facility  in 
Dessel (licensing process ongoing). ONDRAF/NIRAS  considers short-lived, very low-
level waste that cannot be cleared to be category A waste. 

Category  B  waste  is  low-level  and  intermediate-level  conditioned  waste  contaminated 
with  such  quantities  of  long-lived  radionuclides  that  it  poses  a  risk  to  people  and  the 
environment for several tens to several hundreds of thousands of years in some cases5. 
Its thermal power is potentially significant at the time of its conditioning, but it will emit 
too little heat after the storage period to be classified as category C waste. It corresponds 
to intermediate-level waste (ILW) in the IAEA 2009 classification. 

Category  C  waste  is  high-level  conditioned  waste  containing  large  quantities  of  long-
lived  radionuclides  and  which,  like  category  B  waste,  poses  a  risk  for  several  tens  to 
several  hundreds  of  thousands  of  years  in  some  cases.  After  the  period  currently 
considered  for  its  storage  (around  60  years  of  cooling  required  in  the  event  of 
subsequent disposal in poorly-indurated clay), its thermal power still causes a significant 
increase  in  the  temperature  of  the  disposal  facility’s  host  formation.  It  corresponds  to 
high-level  waste  (HLW)  in  the  IAEA  2009  classification.  Category  C  waste  includes 
vitrified waste from the reprocessing of spent fuel from commercial nuclear reactors and 
from the BR2 research reactor and non-reprocessed spent fuel declared as waste. 

For  the  processing  of  non-conditioned  waste  and  the  storage  of  conditioned  waste, 
ONDRAF/NIRAS  uses  a  more  detailed  classification  system,  based  on  the  physic-
chemical  and  radiological  characteristics  of  the  waste,  that  determine  the  processing 
route (evaporation, incineration, (super)compaction, solidification process, etc.) and the 
appropriate storage facility. 

49 

 
 
BG  With  the  amendments  and  supplements  to  the  Regulation  on  the  Safe  Management  of 
Radioactive  Waste,  Directive  2011/70/Euratom  was  transposed  in  2013  and  the  RAW 
classification was fully brought in  compliance with the Safety Guide ‘Classification of 
Radioactive Waste’ GSG-1, IAEA, 2009: 

Category  1:  waste  containing  radionuclides  of  low  activity,  which  does  not  require 
radiation protection measures or a high level of isolation or containment; the RW in this 
category is further subdivided as: 

a)  Category  1a:  waste  compliant  with  the  levels  for  regulatory  clearance  under  the 
ASUNE (Act for Safe Use of Nuclear Energy); 

b) Category 1b: very short-lived waste containing mainly radionuclides with short half-
lives  (not  more  than  100  days),  the  activity  of  which  diminishes  below  the  levels  for 
regulatory clearance under the ASUNE  as a result of appropriate on-site storage for a 
limited period of time (typically no longer than a few years); 

c)  Category  1c:  very  low  level  waste  with  levels  of  specific  activity  exceeding  the 
minimum levels for regulatory clearance under the ASUNE  and with very low content 
of long-lived radionuclides, representing a limited radiological risk; this waste category 
does  not  require  the  implementation  of  specific  measures  for  radiation  protection  or 
containment and storage. 

low  and 

in 
Category  2: 
concentrations  that  do  not  require  any  special  measures  for  heat  dissipation  during 
storage and disposal; the radioactive waste from this category is further subdivided into: 

level  waste,  containing  radionuclides 

intermediate 

Category  2а:  short-lived  low  and  intermediate  level  waste,  containing  mostly 
a) 
short-lived  radionuclides  (with  a  half-life  shorter  than  or  equal  to  the  half-life  of  Cs-
137),  and  long-lived  alpha-activity  radionuclides  with  specific  activity  lower  than  or 
equal to 4.106 Bq/kg for a single package or lower than or equal to 4.105 Bq/kg for the 
entire volume of the RAW; 

b) 
Category 2b: long-lived low and intermediate level waste, containing long-lived 
alpha-activity  radionuclides  (with  a  half-life  longer  than  the  half-life  of  Cs-137)  with 
specific activity exceeding the limits for category 2a. 

Category  3:  high  level  waste  in  which  the  concentration  of  radionuclides  is  such  that 
heat dissipation must be taken into account for storage and disposal purposes. 

The  RAW  classification  is  aimed  at  long-term  safety  —  the  endpoints  of  RAW 
management. 

The disposal method is based on the RW classification: 

• RAW of category 1c may be disposed of in surface landfills; 

•  RAW  of  category  2a  must  be  disposed  of  in  surface  engineered  facilities  for  RAW 
disposal; 

•  RAW  of  categories  2b  and  3  must  be  disposed  of  only  in  geological  facilities  for 
RAW disposal. 

50 

 
 
CY  Cyprus  follows  the  guidelines  of  IAEA  regarding  the  definition  and  classification  of 
radioactive waste, as described in the General Safety Guide No. GSG-1 “Classification 
of radioactive waste”, IAEA, Vienna, 2009. 

51 

 
CZ 

In agreement with the Decree No. 377/2016 Coll., on requirements for safe management 
of  radioactive  waste  and  decommissioning  of  nuclear  installations  or  workplaces  of 
category III or IV, RAW is further classified as gaseous, liquid and solid. Solid RAW is 
classified, particularly based on the method of storage as follows: 

a)  temporary  radioactive  waste,  which  after  storage  for  at  most  5  years  exceeds 
radioactivity lower than clearance levels; 

b)  very  low-level  waste  with  radioactivity  higher  than  that  of  temporary  radioactive 
waste, but which does not require any special measures during disposal; 

c)  low-level  waste  with  radioactivity  higher  than  that  of  temporary  radioactive  waste, 
but which at the same time contains limited amounts of long-lived radionuclides; 

intermediate-level  waste 

d) 
long-lived 
radionuclides, and therefore it requires a higher degree of isolation from the surrounding 
environment than the low-level waste; and 

that  contains  a  significant  amount  of 

e) high-level  waste  for which, during storage and disposal,  it is  necessary  to  take into 
account heat generated by decay of the contained radionuclides; the waste is processed 
and  treated  to  meet  the  acceptance  criteria  and  it  must  be  disposed  in  deep  geological 
repositories several hundred meters under the ground. 

Spent fuel shall not be considered radioactive waste under the Atomic Act unless it has 
been declared as radioactive waste by its owner or by SÚJB. Spent fuel storage shall be 
subject to the same requirements as radioactive waste management before disposal and 
spent fuel shall be stored so that its further treatment is not impeded. 

Natural  materials  produced  in  the  course  of  mining  and  treatment  of  uranium  ores  are 
managed subject to the Act No. 157/2009 Coll., on mining waste management, Act No. 
263/2016 Coll., Atomic Act, as sources of ionizing radiation and therefore they are not 
covered by the Policy. 

52 

 
DE 

In the Register of radioactive waste, a basic distinction is made between: 

• 

• 

irradiated fuel elements and radioactive waste from their reprocessing, and 

other radioactive waste  

On  account  of  its  high  decay  power,  the  former  is  considered  to  be  heat-generating 
waste, most of which can be categorised as high-level radioactive waste in accordance 
with  the  IAEA  classification.  Other  radioactive  waste  is,  with  a  few  exceptions,  waste 
with negligible heat generation and is considered to be low or intermediate-level waste 
in accordance with the IAEA classification.  

Other  radioactive  waste  (radioactive  waste  with  negligible  heat  generation)  is 
categorised in the Register of radioactive waste according to its state of processing1): 

• RAW: Unprocessed, partly pre-sorted, radioactive waste in its original form. 

• Pre-treated waste: RAW which has been pre-treated and is  to  be subjected to  further 
treatment.  

• Conditioned waste products: 

Waste products packaged in inner containers that are to be placed in standardised, basic 
types of container (disposal containers) provided for disposal purposes. The products are 
generally  produced  in  accordance  with  qualified  procedures.  They  have  been  fully 
processed and are unlikely to be subjected to any further treatment inducing physical or 
chemical changes, except for any necessary subsequent drying. The waste does still have 
to be packaged in a disposal container in order to be disposed of, however. 

• Disposal packages: 

Waste products packaged in standardised disposal containers (with or without an inner 
container).  The  products  are  generally  produced  in  accordance  with  qualified 
procedures. 

DK  Classification  of  radioactive  waste  in  Denmark  is  based  on  the  IAEA  GSG-1 
classification.  The  use  of  the  category  VLLW  may  only  take  place  after  specific 
approval by the Regulatory Authorities. 

53 

 
 
EE*  Radioactive waste is categorized by activity or specific activity, by half-life, by type of 
radiation  and  by  heat  generation  as  a  result  of  radioactive  decay.  Categories  are 
established by Regulation No 34 of 4 October 2016 of Minister of the Environment “The 
Classification  of  Radioactive  Waste,  the  Requirements  for  Registration,  Management 
and Transfer of Radioactive Waste and the Acceptance Criteria for Radioactive Waste”. 
In conditioning and storing of radioactive waste, their producer has to take into account, 
beside their type, also physical, chemical and biological properties of radioactive waste. 

NORM  (Naturally  Occurring  Radioactive  Material  –  substances  containing  natural 
radionuclides) waste. Radioactive waste produced as a result of handling raw materials 
containing  substances  that  contain  natural  radionuclides  (Th-232  and  U-238  and 
radionuclides  belonging  in  their  decay  series),  the  specific  activity  of  which  is  greater 
than clearance levels established under Article 62(3) of the Radiation Act.  Short-lived 
waste.  Radioactive  waste  that  contain  radionuclides  with  less  than  a  100-day  half-life 
and  that  decay  below  the  clearance  levels  established  under  Article  62  (3)  of  the 
Radiation Act within up to 5 years. 

Low and intermediate  activity short-lived waste.  Radioactive  waste that  contains β- 
and γ sources 

with half-life less than 30 years half-life and a limited amount of long-lived αsources (no 
more than 4,000 Bq/g for one waste package and no more than 400 Bq/g averaged for 
total waste package amount). 

Low  and  intermediate  activity  long-lived  waste.  Radioactive  waste,  which  contains 
radionuclides with  half-life  higher than 30  years  with  the activity  concentration higher 
than that for low and intermediate activity short-lived waste and which will generate less 
than 2 kW/m3 heat energy during radioactive decay. 

High level waste. Radioactive waste, which generates more than 2 kW/m3 heat energy 
during radioactive decay. 

54 

 
 
EL 

In general, the IAEA radioactive waste classification is applied. Specific criteria are as 
follows: 

The 100 days and 30 years half-lives apply for distinguishing between very short lived 
and long lived RW, respectively.  

Very  low-level  waste  (VLLW)  contains  isotopes  with  half-lives  less  than  30  y  and 
activities  about  two  orders  higher  than  the  exempted  values.  Waste  with  radionuclides 
with higher half times are considered as VLLW too (e.g. 226Ra), if the activity is very 
low.  Examples  are  objects  using  226Ra  for  luminance,  smoke  detectors  with  241Am, 
soil with NORM 226Ra at low concentrations, etc.  

Low level waste (LLW) do not contain long-lived (i.e. with t1/2 > 30 y) radionuclides. 
Long  lived  radionuclides  (i.e.  with  t1/2  >  30  y)  could  be  present  in  LLW,  if  the 
concentration  is  lower  than  400  Bq/g  on  average  for  long  lived  alpha  emitting 
radionuclides,  or  10  kBq/gr  for  long  lived  beta  and/or  gamma  emitting  radionuclides. 
Although  classification  is  related  to  the  disposal  options  –  which  have  not  been 
determined  yet  -  and  the  availability  and  suitability  of  the  storage  procedures  and 
infrastructure,  almost  all  (except  very  few  cases)  radioactive  waste  in  Greece  are 
classified as VSLW, VLLW or LLW, due to their activities and form. A very few RW 
which  concern  regeneration  bed  resins  and  activated  or  contaminated  objects  in 
connection with GRR-1 operation, as well as a few RM found in scrap metal, have not 
been classified yet. 

For  very  short-lived  waste  (VSLW)  (t1/2  <100  d)  decay  and  clearance  are  employed. 
Generic and conditional clearance levels apply. 

ES 

In  Spain,  radioactive  waste  is  classified  as  very  low-level  waste  (VLLW),  low  and 
intermediate-level waste (LILW) (both are disposed of at the El Cabril storage centre), 
special waste (SW) and high-level waste (HLW), which mainly include spent fuel (SF). 

FI*  The  operational  waste  is  divided  into  four  categories  based  on  its  radioactivity 
concentration. These categories are: 1) Intermediate-level waste, 2) Low-level waste, 3) 
Very  low-level  waste,  and  4)  exempt  waste.  The  activity  limits  for  the  categories  are 
defined in the STUK guide (Regulatory Guide YVL D.4) and STUK Regulation (STUK 
Y/4/2018). 

Different  categories  for  disposal  with  threshold  of  100  MBq/kg  (10  times  lower  for 
emplacement room) and 500 years: SL (Short lived) and LL (Long Lived). 

55 

 
 
FR  The  long-term  management  of  radioactive  waste  is  based  largely  on  the  level  of  radioactivity 

and the half-life of the radionuclides contained in the waste. 

High-level  waste  (HLW).  HLW,  which  consists  of  the  non-recoverable  residues  from  the 
reprocessing of spent fuel, is currently stored at the Marcoule and La Hague sites pending a final 
solution. Andra is responsible for carrying out studies and research in order to select a location 
and design an industrial facility for reversible deep geological disposal, known as Cigéo. This 
will  start  with  a  pilot  industrial  phase  with  a  few  radioactive  waste  packages,  with  operation 
being planned to start by 2035. 
Long-lived low and intermediate level waste (LILW-LL). This waste has a significant content 
of  long-lived  radionuclides.  Intermediate  level  waste  mainly  comes  from  the  structures 
surrounding spent fuel (hulls and end fittings) or residues from the operation of nuclear facilities 
(waste following the processing of effluent, equipment, etc.). There are two main types of low-
level waste: radium-bearing waste from operations to explore and chemically process minerals 
or from former industrial sites polluted with radioactivity at the beginning of the 20th century, 
and graphite waste from the operation and decommissioning of France’s original nuclear power 
plants. Some bitumen-bound sludge packages are also included in this category. 
Short-lived low and intermediate level waste (LILW-SL). This is mainly waste resulting from 
the  maintenance  (clothing,  tools,  filters,  etc.) and  operation of  nuclear facilities  (processing  of 
liquid effluents or filtration of gaseous effluents). It may also come from operations to clean up 
and decommission such facilities. This waste is managed by surface disposal and is monitored 
for the time needed for its radioactivity to fall to levels having a negligible impact.  
Very low-level waste (VLLW). This waste, which mainly comes from the decommissioning of 
nuclear facilities or traditional industries using naturally radioactive materials, is disposed of at 
the very low-level waste disposal facility commissioned in August 2003 (Cires). 

Very short-lived 
waste containing 
radioelements with 
a half-life 
< 100 days 

Short-lived waste 
in which the 
radioactivity 
comes mainly 
from 
radioelements 
with a half-life 
< 31 years 

Long-lived waste 
chiefly containing 
radioelements with 
a half-life 
> 31 years 

Managed by 
radioactive decay 
at generation site 

Recycling or dedicated surface disposal 

(disposal facility at the Aube industrial 
consolidation, storage and disposal 
facility) 

Hundreds Bq/g 

Very low level 
waste (VLLW) 

Millions Bq/g 

Low level waste 
(LLW) 

and then disposal 
through dedicated 
conventional waste 
disposal routes 

Surface disposal 

(Aube waste 
disposal facility) 

Near-surface 
disposal 

(being studied under 
the Law of 28 June 
2006) 

Billions Bq/g 

Intermediate 
level waste 
(ILW) 

High level 
waste (HLW) 

Not applicable 1 

Deep geological disposal 

(planned under the Law of 28 June 2006) 

56 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HR  Radioactive  waste  classification  in  Croatia  is  in  accordance  with  Classification  of 

Radioactive Waste, IAEA General Safety Guide No. GSG-1, 2009. 

57 

 
HU 

Radioactive  waste  is  classified  on  the  basis  of  the  activity  and  half-life  of  isotopes 
contained therein, as follows. 

Radioactive waste is of a high level if its heat generation must be taken into account in 
the  planning  and  operation  of  storage  and  placement.  Radioactive  waste  with  heat 
generation greater than 2 kW/m3 or classified in category 1 of radioactive waste under 
Government  Decree No 190/2011,  based on the total activity of the radioactive waste 
package, is clearly qualified as such. 

Radioactive waste is of a very low level if the activity concentration of isotopes with a 
half-life of not  longer than 30  years  (rounded off for whole  years) is  not  greater than 
fifty  times  the  specific  exemption  activity  concentration  (SMEAK),  and  not  greater 
than  the  general  exemption  activity  concentration  (ÁMEAK)  in  relation  to  isotopes 
with  a  half-life  of  more  than  30  years  (rounded  off  for  whole  years).  If  radioactive 
waste contains several types of radioisotopes, classification of isotopes with a half-life 
of not longer than 30 years (rounded off for whole years) is based on the following: 

and in relation to isotopes with a half-life of more than 30 years (rounded off for whole 
years): 

where   AKi  is  the  activity  concentration  of  the  i-th  radioisotope  in  the  radioactive 
waste, while SMEAKi is the specific exemption activity concentration of the 
i-th 
the  general  exemption  activity 
is 
concentration of the i-th radioisotope. 

radioisotope  and  ÁMEAKi 

Radioactive waste is deemed to be of a low or medium-level if it is not deemed to be 
high or very low level radioactive waste. 

Radioactive waste should be classified as being of a low or medium-level on the basis 
of the activity concentration and specific exemption activity concentration (SMEAK) of 
isotopes contained therein, as follows (Table 1). 

Table 1 – Classification of radioactive waste 

Radioactive waste class 

Activity concentration reference 

Low level 

Medium level 

≤103 SMEAK 
>103 SMEAK 

58 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
If  the  radioactive  waste  also  contains  several  types  of  radioisotope,  classification  is 
based on Table 2: 

Table 2 – Classification of radioactive waste containing several types of radioisotope 

Radioactive waste class 

Activity concentration reference 

Low-level 

Medium-level 

Classification  based  on  the  half-life  of  radionuclides  contained  in  waste  should  be 
performed as follows. 

Low  or  medium-level  radioactive  waste  is  deemed  to  be  short-lived  if  it  contains 
radionuclides with a half-life of more than 30 years only to a limited extent. Based on 
the average total quantity of waste, in relation to isotopes with a half-life of more than 
30 years it holds true that: 

Low or medium-level  radioactive waste is deemed to be long-lived if its radionuclide 
concentration  with  a  half-life  of  more  than  30  years  exceeds  the  limit  values  of 
short-lived radioactive waste. 

59 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
IE  As  Ireland  has  no  nuclear  facilities,  by  definition,  all  of  the  radioactive  waste  arising 
nationally  falls  into  the  IAEA’s  low  level  waste  category,  and  no  formal  waste 
categorisation process beyond that is deemed of value in that context. 

IT  On  August  7,  2015  the  joint  decree  by  the  Ministry  of  Environment,  Land  and  Sea 
Protection and the Ministry of Economic Development, concerning a revised radioactive 
waste  classification  more  in  line  with  IAEA  classification  scheme,  has  been  issued, 
replacing  the  old  classification  provided  by  the  Technical  Guide  No.  26  ENEA-DISP 
dating back to 1987. 

Very  short-lived  waste.  Radioactive  waste  containing  radionuclides  with  very  short 
half-life, of less than 100 days, requiring up to 5 years to reach activity concentrations 
lower than values specified in Article 1, paragraph 2 of Legislative Decree n. 230 of 17 
March 1995. This type of waste mainly arises from medical uses and research activities. 
This  waste  shall  be  stored  in  facilities  suitable  for  temporary  storage  or  waste 
management for disposal, such as those authorized by Article 33 of Legislative Decree 
n. 230 of 17 March 1995, for a period of time necessary to  reach the  abovementioned 
required activity concentration level. 

Very low-level waste. Radioactive waste with activity concentration that does not meet 
the criteria set out for exempt waste, but though lower than 100 Bq/g with a maximum 
alpha contribute of 10 Bq/g for alpha-emitting long-lived radionuclides. 

includes  also 

This  category 
radioactive  waste  containing  mainly  short-lived 
radionuclides,  which  over  a  period  of  up  to  10  years  reach  an  activity  concentration 
beneath the clearance levels set out in Article 30 and Article 154, paragraph 3-bis of the 
Legislative Decree n. 230 of 17 March 1995. 

Low  Level  Waste.  Radioactive  waste  that  does  not  meet  the  criteria  established  for 
exempt waste and that requires containment and isolation periods of up to a few hundred 
years in order to be disposed of. This category includes radioactive waste characterized 
by levels of activity concentration of up to 5 MBq/g for short-lived radionuclides, of up 
to 40 kBq/g for the long-lived isotopes of Nickel and of up to 400 Bq/g for long-lived 
radionuclides. 

Intermediate level waste. Radioactive waste with activity concentrations exceeding the 
values set  out  for low-level  waste, though not  requiring provisions for heat  dissipation 
during  its  storage  and  disposal.  This  category  includes  waste  containing  long-lived 
radionuclides that mostly requires a degree of isolation higher than that provided by near 
surface  disposal  facilities  with  engineered  barriers,  therefore  requiring  disposal  in 
geological formations. 

This category includes also waste characterized by levels of activity concentrations of up 
to  400  Bq/g  for  alpha-emitting  radionuclides  and  mainly  containing  radionuclides 
beta/gamma emitters even long lived, with such an activity concentrations that they can 
be disposed of in near surface facilities with engineered barriers, provided that the level 
of activity concentration complies with the objectives of radiation protection established 
for  the  abovementioned  surface  disposal  facility,  such  as,  for  instance,  the  waste 
containing  activation  products  arising  from  the  decommissioning  of  some  parts  of  the 
nuclear facilities. 

High-level  waste.  Radioactive  waste  with  high  activity  concentrations,  such  as  to 

60 

 
generate  a  significant  amount  of  heat  or  with  high  concentrations  of  long-lived 
radionuclides,  or  both  of  these  characteristics,  which  require  a  degree  of  isolation  and 
containment  for  a  time  period  of  thousands  of  years  and  over.  This  waste  requires 
disposal in geological formations. 

LT  Correspondence between national waste classes and IAEA GSG-1 waste classes (%) 

National 
waste classes 

IAEA GSG-1 

VLLW 

LLW 

ILW 

HLW 

Class A 

Class B 

Class C 

Class D 

Class E 

Class 
(DSRS) 

100% 

100% 

100% 

F 

30% 

30% 

100% 

100% 

40% 

LU*  Radioactive  waste  is  categorized  by  the  half-life  of  the  corresponding  nuclides  and 

whether the disused sources are sealed or unsealed. 

The classification of the radioactive waste rests within the Belgian authorities, according 
to the Belgian classification systems, when treating and conditioning the waste. 

LV 

Information  about  the  classification  of  radioactive  waste  is  defined  in  Cabinet 
Regulation No 129. Depending on the half-life period, radioactive waste is classified as 
follows: 

1) Radioactive waste with a half-life not exceeding 30 days and which does not generate 
long-lived daughter products after radionuclide decay (short-lived radioactive waste); 

2) Radioactive waste with a half-life exceeding 30 days  or which  generates long-lived 
daughter products after radionuclide decay (long-lived radioactive waste).  

Depending on the heat generation rate, radioactive waste is classified as follows: 

1. Radioactive waste with a heat generation rate of less than 2 kW per one cubic metre 
of radioactive waste, as a result of radioactive decay (low and intermediate radioactivity 
waste); 

2. Radioactive waste with a heat generation rate greater than or equal to 2 kW per one 
cubic  metre  of  radioactive  waste,  as  a  result  of  radioactive  decay  (high  radioactivity 
waste). 

61 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MT  Classification of radioactive waste in Malta is based on the IAEA GSG-1 classification.  

NL  Classification  scheme  is  given  in  the  figure  below  (source:  National  report  of  the 
Kingdom of the Netherlands for the Council Directive 2011/70/EURATOM, 2018) 

PL* 

In accordance with Article 47 of Atomic Law: 

Radioactive waste is classified into three categories with respect to the concentration of 
radioactive  isotopes  contained  in  the  waste:  low-,  medium-  and  high-level  radioactive 
waste. These categories are further sub-divided into sub-categories according to the half-
live of radioactive isotopes and the concentration of radioactive isotopes contained in the 
waste. 

Liquid waste is additionally classified according to its activity concentration. 

Spent nuclear fuel intended for disposal is classified as a high-level radioactive waste. 

62 

 
 
 
 
 
Disused  (spent)  sealed  radioactive  sources  form  an  additional  category  of  radioactive 
waste.  Those  sources  are  classified  into  the  following  subcategories  of  spent  sealed 
radioactive  sources  according  to  the  level  of  their  activity:  low-,  medium-  and  high-
level, which are further subdivided according to the half-life of contained radionuclides 
into short-lived and long-lived sub-categories. 

The  low,  intermediate  and  high  level  waste  is  subsequently  classified  into  sub-
categories: 

- Transitional waste which will decay within the period of three  years below the value 

given in third column of Annex III , 

-  Short-lived  waste  –  waste  containing  radionuclides  of  half-life  <  30  years  with  the 
restricted  average  long-lived  radionuclides  concentration  to  400  kBq/kg  and  the 
restricted  maximum  long-lived  radionuclides  concentration  resulting  from  material 
inhomogeneity in a representative 1 kg sample to 4000 kBq or waste containing only 
long-lived radionuclides with the restricted average radionuclides concentration to 400 
kBq/kg, 

- Long-lived waste: waste whose average long-lived radionuclides concentration exceeds 

400 kBq/kg. 

The spent sealed sources are grouped into three subcategories: 

- Low level - if the activity of the source exceed the value given in Annex 3  – second 

column, but is below 108 Bq, 

- Intermediate level: if the activity is in the range 108<A<1012 Bq, 
- High level: if the activity of the source A>1012 Bq. 

PT  Categorization  of  radioactive  waste  and  management  options  are  included  in  the 
National  Programme,  as  specified  in  the  International  Atomic  Energy  Agency's 
standards. 

RO*  According  to  the  provisions  of  the  CNCAN  Order  No.  156/2005  for  approval  the 
Regulation  on  the  classification  of  radioactive  waste,  the  general  classification  of 
radioactive waste is the following: 

- excluded radioactive waste (EW) 

- transitional radioactive waste (TW) 

- very low-level radioactive waste (VLLW) 

- low and interim level short lived radioactive waste (LILW-SL) 

- low and interim level long lived radioactive waste (LILW-LL) 

- high-level radioactive waste (HLW). 

The  general  classification  refers  to  the  requirements  for  assuring  the  isolation  from 

63 

 
 
 
 
biosphere of the radioactive waste during its disposal. 

The  excluded  radioactive  waste  is  waste  containing  radionuclides  with  an  activity 
concentration so small that the waste can be released from regulatory control. 

The  transitional  radioactive  waste  is  waste  having  activity  concentration  above 
clearance  levels,  but  which  decays  below  clearance  levels  within  a  reasonable  storage 
period (not more than 5 years). 

The  very  low-level  radioactive  waste  is  short-lived  waste  in  which  the  activity 
concentration is above the clearance levels, but with a radioactive content below levels 
established by CNCAN for defining the low-level waste. The disposal of very low-level 
waste  requires  less  complex  arrangements  than  the  disposal  of  short-lived  low-level 
waste. 

The  low  and  intermediate  level  radioactive  waste  is  radioactive  waste  in  which  the 
activity  concentration  is  above  the  levels  established  by  CNCAN  for  the  definition  of 
very low-level waste, but with a radioactive content and thermal power below those of 
high-level  waste.  Low-level  waste  does  not  require  shielding  during  handling  or 
transportation. Intermediate level waste generally requires shielding during handling, but 
needs  little  or  no  provision  for  heat  dissipation  during  handling  or  transportation.  The 
long-lived radioactive waste is a waste containing radionuclides with half-life above 30 
years  in  quantities  and/or  concentrations  of  activity  above  the  values  established  by 
CNCAN,  for  which  isolation  from  biosphere  is  necessary  for  more  time  than  the 
institutional control duration. 

The short-lived radioactive waste is a radioactive waste that is not long lived. 

The high level radioactive waste is: 

a)  liquid  radioactive  waste  containing  the  most  part  of  fission  products  and  actinides 
existing initially in the spent fuel and forming the residues of the first extraction cycle of 
reprocessing; 

b) the solidified radioactive waste of letter a) and the spent fuel; 

c)  any  other  radioactive  waste  with  activity  concentration  range  similar  to  the  waste 
mentioned at letter a) and b). 

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SE  Cleared Material. Material with so small amounts of radioactive nuclides that it can be 

released 

from regulatory control 

Very low-level waste, short-lived (VLLW-SL). Contains small amounts of short lived 
nuclides with a half-life less than 31 years, dose rate on waste package is less than 0,5 
mSv/h.  Long  lived  nuclides  with  a  half-life  greater  than  31  years  can  be  present  in 
restricted quantities 

Low-level  waste,  short-lived  (LLWSL).  Contains  small  amounts  of  short  lived 
nuclides with a half-life less than 31 years, dose rate on waste package (and unshielded 
waste) is  less  than 2 mSv/h.  Long lived  nuclides with  a half-life  greater  than 31  years 
can be present in restricted quantities. 

Intermediate level waste, short-lived (ILW-SL). Contains significant amounts of short 
lived nuclides with a half-life less than 31 years, dose rate on waste package is less than 
500 mSv/h. Long lived nuclides with a half-life greater than 31 years can be present in 
restricted quantities. 

Low and intermediate longlived, waste (LILW-LL). Contains significant amounts of 
long  lived  nuclides  with  a  half-life  greater  than  31  years,  exceeding  the  restricted 
quantities for short lived waste 

Spent  fuel/High  level  waste  (HLW).  Typical  decay  heat  >2kW/m3  and  contains 
significant amounts of long-lived nuclides with a half-life than 31 years, exceeding the 
restricted quantities for short-lived waste. 

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SI  Under JV7, in accordance with the level and type of radioactivity, radioactive waste in 
solid  form  is  classified  into  the  categories  of  transitional  radioactive  waste,  very  low-
level  radioactive  waste,  low-  and  intermediate-level  radioactive  waste,  high-level 
radioactive waste, and radioactive waste containing naturally occurring radionuclides. 

The  ZVISJV-1  defines  spent  fuel  as  ‘nuclear  fuel  that  has  been  irradiated  in  and 
permanently  removed  from  a  reactor  core.  Spent  fuel  may  either  be  considered  as  a 
valuable  resource  that  may  be  reprocessed  or  as  radioactive  waste  that  is  destined  for 
direct disposal’. SF is a secondary raw material from which uranium and plutonium can 
be  obtained,  through  processing,  to  be  used  as  raw  material  for  new  nuclear  fuel. 
Radioactive  waste  produced  from  the  processing  of  SF  is  classed  as  high-level 
radioactive waste containing radionuclides, the decay of which generates an amount of 
heat that has to be considered when it is being managed. 

Very low-level waste (VLLW) for which the regulatory authority competent for nuclear 
and radiation safety may decide on clearance. 

Low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW) in the management of which 
heat generation does not need to be considered. 

It is further classified into two groups: 

1 Short-lived LILW, where the specific activity of the contained alpha emitters, having 
a  half-life  exceeding  30  years,  is  equal  to  or  lower  than  4,000  Bq/g  in  any  individual 
package but in no case greater than 400 Bq/g on average in the overall amount of LILW. 

2  Long-lived  LILW,  where  the  specific  activity  of  alpha  emitters  exceeds  the 
limitations applying to short-lived LILW. 

High-level  waste (HLW), which contains radionuclides,  the decay of  which generates 
such an amount of heat that has to be considered in its management 

Radioactive waste containing naturally occurring radionuclides that are produced in 
the  exploitation  and  processing  of  nuclear  mineral  raw  materials  or  in  other  industrial 
processes  and  are  not  considered  sealed  sources  of  radiation  under  the  regulation 
governing the use of radioactive sources and radiation practices. 

SK  Classification  of  radioactive  waste  (according  to  the  IAEA  GSG-1)  is  based  on  their 
activity  and  is  defined  by  Section  5  of  the  ÚJD  SR  Decree  No.  30/2012  Coll.,  laying 
down  the  details  of  the  requirements  for  the  management  of  nuclear  materials, 
radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel: 

a)  transient  radioactive  wastes  whose  activity  falls  below  the  limit  value  for  their 
introduction to the environment during storage; 

b) very low-activity radioactive waste, whose activity is slightly higher than the limit 
value  for  their  introduction  to  the  environment,  contain  mainly  radionuclides  with  a 
short  half-life,  or  also  a  low  concentration  of  radionuclides  with  a  long  half-life,  and 
which during storage require a lower degree of isolation from the environment through a 
system  of  engineered  barriers,  as  in  the  case  of  surface-type  radioactive  waste 

66 

 
 
 
repositories; 

c) low-activity radioactive waste, whose average specific activity of radionuclides with 
a long half-life, especially radionuclides emitting alpha radiation, is less than 400 Bq/g, 
maximum  specific  activity  of  radionuclides  with  a 
long  half-life,  especially 
radionuclides emitting alpha radiation, is locally less than 4000 Bq/g, does not produce 
residual  heat,  and  following  treatment  meet  safe  operating  limits  and  conditions  for 
surface-type radioactive waste repositories; 

d) medium-activity radioactive waste, whose average specific activity of radionuclides 
with a long half-life, especially radionuclides emitting alpha radiation, is equal to or over 
400 Bq/g, may produce residual heat and measures for its removal are less than in the 
case of highly active radioactive waste, and which following treatment do not meet safe 
operating limits and conditions for surface-type radioactive waste repositories; 

e)  highly-active  radioactive  waste,  whose  average  specific  activity  of  radionuclides 
with  a  long  half-life,  especially  radionuclides  emitting  alpha  radiation,  exceeds  values 
specified  for  low  activity  radioactive  waste  requiring  measures  for  the  removal  of 
residual  heat  and  can  be  deposited  only  in  an  underground-type  radioactive  waste 
repository. 

UK*  In the UK, historically, radioactive waste has been classified under the following broad 

categories, according to its heat-generating capacity and activity content: 

High-Level  Waste  (HLW)  is  waste  in  which  temperature  may  rise  significantly  as  a 
result  of  its  radioactivity,  so  that  this  factor  has  to  be  taken  into  account  in  designing 
storage or disposal facilities. 

Intermediate-Level  Waste  (ILW)  is  waste  with  radioactivity  levels  exceeding  the 
upper boundaries for Low-Level Waste (LLW), but which does not require heating to be 
taken into account in the design of storage or disposal facilities. 

Low-Level Waste (LLW) is defined as radioactive waste having a radioactive content 
not  exceeding  four  gigabecquerels  per  tonne  (GBq/te)  of  alpha  and/or  12  GBq/te  of 
beta/gamma  activity.  This  general  definition  does  not  directly  equate  to  the  waste 
acceptance criteria in place at specific disposal sites for LLW. 

Very Low-level Waste (VLLW), a sub-category of LLW is defined as: 
- in the case of low volumes (‘dustbin loads’) – low-volume VLLW: 

“Radioactive waste which can be safely disposed of to  an unspecified destination with 
municipal,  commercial  or  industrial  waste  (‘dustbin’  disposal),  each  0.1m3  of  waste 
containing less than 400 kilobecquerels (kBq) of total activity or single items containing 
less than 40kBq of total activity.” 

- for wastes containing carbon-14 or hydrogen-3 (tritium): 

• in  each 0.1m3,  the activity limit  is  4,000kBq for carbon-14 and hydrogen-3 (tritium) 
taken together; and  

• for any single item, the activity limit is 400kBq for carbon-14 and hydrogen-3 (tritium) 
taken together. 

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Controls on disposal of this material, after removal from the premises where the wastes 

arose, are not necessary. 

In the case of bulk disposals – high-volume VLLW: 

“Radioactive  waste  with  maximum  concentrations  of  4  megabecquerels  per  tonne 
(MBq/te) of total activity which can be disposed of to specified landfill sites. For waste 
containing  hydrogen-3  (tritium),  the  concentration  limit  for  tritium  is  40MBq/te. 
Controls on disposal of this material, after removal from the premises where the wastes 
arose, will be necessary in a manner specified by the environmental regulators.” 

The principal difference between the two definitions of VLLW is the need for controls 
on the total volumes of VLLW in the second (high-volume) category being deposited at 
any one particular landfill site. 

Higher-Activity Waste (HAW) is defined by the UK Government as the collection of: 
HLW, ILW, and the relatively small proportion of LLW that is not currently suitable for 
disposal  in  existing  LLW  disposal  facilities  (due  to  some  chemical,  physical  or 
radiological property that is incompatible with the extant waste acceptance criteria). 

* Information from the Joint Convention report presented to the 6th review meeting (May 2018) 

68